attacked bygunmenyesterday.—AFP ADEN: Yemenipro-governmentfightersinspectanelderlycarehomeinthissoutherncityafteritwas and develop,”a senior tradingsourcefamiliarwith the we havealegitimate marketsharethatwetryto protect have competitivemarketing.That’s whatwearedoing... and makingitscrudemoreattractive. little-noticed sellerinEurope-is bothincreasingsales tion overthepastsixmonthsand nowKuwait-ausually Iraq’s KurdistanintoEuropehave addedtothecompeti- customers suchasPolandandSweden. Largesalesfrom Iraq rampedupsalestoEurope,takingonformerRussian for customers,OPECmemberssuchasSaudiArabiaand and withthegrowingglobaloilglutheatingupfight focused onexpandingAsianmarkets. by majorOPECproducersduetopoorgrowthasthey dominated byRussianoilsupplies,hasbeenneglected non-OPEC rivalsintensifies.TheEuropeanmarket,long petitive asthebattleforcustomersbetweenOPECand rare tacticalmoveaimedatmakingitscrudemorecom- the wayitpricesoilforEurope,tradingsourcessaid,ina DUBAI/LONDON: at PlamoCon enthusiasts gather Anime, manga K b

“If wewanttohaveashareinany market,wehaveto But asRussiamovedaggressivelyintoAsianmarkets SUBSCRIPTION attle u w 4

ait re 150 Fils OPEC memberKuwaithaschanged AUDY AC ,21 JMD LWA 6 47A No: SATURDAY, 1437 AH JAMADA MARCH5,2016 ALAWWAL 26, Gunmen kill16at Yemen carehome f or f ine E uro Four foreignnunsamongthedead s oil tion”.— Reuters deals withEuropean customersdespite“fiercecompeti- planned toboostoutputthisyear andsignnewexport Gunvor. Lastmonth,aseniorKPC officialsaidKuwait the saleofitsRotterdamrefinery totradinghouse trading morebarrelsonaspotbasis inEurope,following cheap Kurdishoil,”asecondtrading sourcesaid. over thepastyear,theygravitated towardsIraqiandvery from thepointofviewpricing.Itisprettyobviousthat you havetodoisjustlookatwhothecustomerslike age beencheaperthanthosepricedagainstBWAVE.“All calculated, barrelspricedoffdatedBrenthaveonaver- Brent. Overthepastyear,becauseofwaytheyare Brent WeightedAverage(BWAVE). heavyweight SaudiArabiainpricingitsoilagainstthe ed BrentbenchmarkafteryearsoffollowingOPEC’s (KPC) beganpricingitsEuropeanexportsagainstthedat- last yearthestate-runKuwaitPetroleumCorporation development said.Tradingsourcessaidthatfromlate p While changingitspricingpolicy, KPCalsostarted BWAVE isalsousedbyIranwhileIraqusingdated e cu Jordanian women empowers fellow Black beltLina 26 p ricin s tomer g in s and otheremployees.Theyinclude the victimswerenurses,guards,cooks ed anothersecuritysourceassayingthat India andKenya. Rwanda andtheothertwowerefrom that twoofthekillednunswerefrom ple” inYemen,sheadded.Shealsosaid but theyoptedtostayonservepeo- killing. “Thesistersweretocomeback charity were“absolutelystunned”atthe city ofKolkata,saidthemembers the MissionariesofCharityinIndian ing atthefacility,officialssaid. rest ofthosekilledwereYemeniswork- Apart fromthefourforeignnuns, the agedresidentscriedoutinfear. scattered ontheblood-stainedflooras with theirarmstiedbehindbacks ed seeingthebodiesofslainworkers rampage, witnessessaid.Theyrecount- from thehomeduringshooting told AFP. shooting employees,securityofficials trict, killingaguardbeforetyingupand Charity inAden’sSheikhOthmandis- by MotherTeresa’sMissionariesof gunmen enteredtherefugeoperated State groupandrivalAl-Qaeda.Four seen asurgeinattacksbytheIslamic claim ofresponsibility,butAdenhas officials said.Therewasnoimmediate workers includingfourforeignnuns, ern cityofAdenyesterday,killing16 run bymissionariesinYemen’ssouth- ADEN: Meanwhile, the suspect wasjailedpendingfurther legalprocedures. Evidence General Departmenttodetermine thecauseofdeath. himself intolocalpolice.The victim’sbodywastakentotheCriminal tially madeanemergencycall reportingthathiswifedied,thenturned and thevictimasD.T.,alsoaKuwaiti aged33.Itindicatedthatthemanini- Media Departmentreferredto the suspectasA.N.,a43-year-oldKuwaiti, investigations. Areportfromthe InteriorMinistry’sRelationsandSecurity he beatandtorturedher,which ledtoherdeath,accordingpreliminary his wifetodeath.Themanhadimprisonedherforthreedays,during which KUWAIT: By HananAl-Saadoun The officialsabanews.netwebsitecit- Sunita Kumar,aspokeswomanfor Screams ofelderlyresidentsechoed M w Gunmen attackedacarehome A citizenwasarrestedyesterdayinJahraonchargesoftorturing i an torture f unbeaten record steers Barcato Messi hat-trick 48 e to church. —Agencies year blewupanabandonedCatholic cemetery, torchedachurchandlast previously vandalizedaChristian long ago.Unknownassailantshave Aden’s smallChristianpopulationleft Empire toalargelylawlessbackwater. ports asakeyhuboftheBritish gone fromoneoftheworld’sbusiest Christian communities,Adenhas tan cityhometothrivingHinduand Peninsula country.Onceacosmopoli- before returningtotheArabian alongside BosnianMuslimsin1992 patient whohadvolunteeredtofight in westernYemenbyapsychiatric 1998, threeofitsnunswereshotdead the MotherTeresaorderinYemen.In recent months. has beengaininggroundinAden blamed theIslamicStategroup,which the attackerswere“extremists”and carried outtheattack.Oneofficialsaid were huntingdownthe“terrorists”who said inastatementthatsecurityforces one oftheresidentssaid. I cameback,foundallmyfriendsdead,” hour. “IwentoutforFridayprayers.When adding thatthekillingspreelastedone nessed suchabrutalcrime,”hesaid, parts ofthebuilding.“Wehaveneverwit- every victimtheytiedupindifferent the assailantsopenedfireseparatelyat were amongthosekilled.Thesourcesaid source said,addingthatsevenwomen Yemenis, IndiansandEthiopians,the It isnotthefirstdeadlyattackon Yemeni PrimeMinisterKhalidBahah d 16804 eath Max Min s 30º 17º

LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Sheikh Mohammad Jordanian King affirms leaves to represent Amir at OIC summit coordination with GCC AMMAN: King Abdullah II of Jordan has asserted the continu- KUWAIT: Minister of ous coordination and consultation with GCC leaders on how State for Cabinet Affairs to best serve their joint interests. The King also underscored Sheikh Mohammad the strong ties binding the two sides. The King’s remarks came Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al- in a meeting with a number of Jordanian newspaper Editor-in- Sabah left yesterday to Chiefs Thursday night. Indonesia to represent King Abdullah II added that the priority of Jordan is main- His Highness the Amir taining security, adding that Jordanian Armed Forces are fac- Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad ing challenges on a daily basis, saying that such challenges are Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in the being dealt with efficiently, affirming his robust trust in the extraordinary round of Jordanian army. The Jordanian leader said such challenges the Organization of mirror what’s taking place in the region, including the ongoing crises in the region. King Abdullah added that confronting rad- Islamic Cooperation’s Minister of State for (OIC) summit on Cabinet Affairs Sheikh icalism is considered one of the top national issues that must Palestine and Holy Al- Mohammad Abdullah be dealt with, particularly in raising awareness on how to pro- Aqsa Mosque. — KUNA Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah tect the nation through the Jordanian media. — KUNA King Abdullah II

Arab Group urges help for handicapped caught up in war

GENEVA: The Arab Group at the UN such vulnerable groups as those with Human Rights Council seeks solutions special needs, children, women, and for the plight of people with special the infirm, he noted in his speech. needs caught up in the maelstrom of He said the Arab Group of nations at wars and instances of terrorism, a the UN subscribed earnestly to the Group official said yesterday. notion that people with special needs Representing the Group and address- should be sincerely coopted and ing the Council’s 32nd meeting in assimilated into society with the intent Geneva, Kuwait’s delegate to the UN in of treating them as equal partners to this city, Ambassador Jamal Al- people with no handicaps. He added Ghunaim, said that the Arab countries that people with special needs should were concerned about the fate facing be afforded easy access to information, Scouting conference extols Kuwaiti many children, women, and the elderly transportation, communication, taking in areas of armed struggle. part in daily activities, and to exercising experience in humanitarian work In these areas, often the pervasive- their human rights in full. ness of terrorism has absented any Arab countries, he said, had shown KUWAIT: Attendees of the eighth conference of the scored the need to provide an environment for civil modicum of democracy, the rule of interest in issues related to people Arab Association for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides said society organizations to thrive and grow. law, and human rights, he said, under- with special needs as far back as 1998 yesterday that the Association makes use of the Kuwaiti It moreover brought attention to the need to take lining the fact that in such areas, and when the Arab Organization for experience in humanitarian work. Moreover, they called up the cause of “Scouts for Al-Quds or occupied due to prolonged fighting, the infra- People with Special Needs was estab- in a final statement to the conference, hosted by Jerusalem,” saying that all scouts should know about structure has been severely compro- lished, noting that these countries Kuwait, that school curricula in the Arab world should the socio-political situation in that city. The attendees mised, affecting in the process the have enlisted addressing the rights of include contents on environmental awareness. agreed that all scouting outfits in Arab countries should quality of the lives of inhabitants of people with special needs as a primary The final statement also recommended that govern- remain true to the scouting movement by upholding its these areas. In particular, aid in these priority among issues for the Arab ments and NGOs should work in unison to enhance the core values that seek to improve the individual and areas could not be easily delivered to Development Plan for 2030. — KUNA individual and the society. The statement further under- society together. -— KUNA

KUWAIT: Ambassador of Bulgaria to Kuwait Alexandar Olshevski hosted a ceremony recently to celebrate his country’s national day. Senior officials, diplomats and other dignitaries attended the event. — Photos by Joseph Shagra LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Crime Report

A wrecked vehicle is pictured following a fatal accident reported at the Sixth Ring Road. KUWAIT: Public Works Minister Ali Al-Omair is seen during a tour of the fifth constituency yesterday. — Photos by Fouad Man killed in Sixth Al-Shaikh Ring Road accident Public Works Minister By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A motorist died after his car was involved in an acci- tours fifth constituency dent and flipped over on Sixth Ring Road Thursday. Jahra occupational center dealt with accident and removed the body of the deceased from the car. By Meshaal Al-Enezi KUWAIT: Public Works Minister Ali Al- Omair said there must be solutions for traffic congestions in the fifth con- stituency, adding that these solutions must come through the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and the Interior Ministry’s General Traffic Department. During a tour around the fifth con- stituency at and invitation from MP Ahmad Al-Azmi yesterday, Omair said that the goal behind the tour was to MP Ahmad Al-Azmi speaks. Suspects arrested after police raided a liquor factory in Salwa. see firsthand and reduce the suffering of the area’s residents. “We heard sev- Liquor factory closed eral proposals and we will do our best Public Works Minister Ali Al-Omair Hawally security closed down a liquor factory in Salwa run to put them into action,” he said. speaks to reporters. by seven expats, who were sent to concerned authorities. A Omair said that some of the projects security source said police learned about the Asians’ activi- are already underway and others are ties and when it was confirmed, they found that it was the going through the usual procedures to meet their ambitions. biggest factory in Hawally governorate. A warrant was obtain approvals form the State Audit Meanwhile, Assistant Undersecretary obtained and the place was raided. 1,500 locally-made bot- Bureau, as well as allocation of budg- for Traffic Affairs Major General tles were found, and 250 distilling drums were confiscated. ets from the finance ministry. Abdullah Al-Muhanna said the traffic Meanwhile, Azmi said they were department is performing its role in the Medication crises briefed on the needs of the area roads issue through the five-party com- Sources said that a medication shortage crises in Kuwait might including roads, landscaping and traf- mittee. He said that Dhaher and sur- happen due to a procedural dispute between the State Audit fic congestions near Dhaher bridge. rounding areas are suffering from traffic Bureau and drugs companies over revealing their profit mar- The citizens in the fifth constituency as King Fahd Road has changed from an Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic gins. Health ministry warehouses are witnessing a shortage of are suffering from many obstacles and expressway due to the many exits and Affairs Major General Abdullah many medicines, and only the stocks of medicine in hospitals are in need for the government to detours. Al-Muhanna are preventing the crisis from exploding, and it may get severe in two weeks. Sources said the State Audit Bureau stopped awarding tenders because companies refused to declare their Kuwait organizes food Crime profit margins to avoid any harm to their during future tenders. safety conference in Report

mid-March Housemaid charged with Kuwaiti charity looks employer’s murder dies after orphans in Jordan KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health announced that it would KUWAIT: An Ethiopian maid charged with killing her employer organize the 2nd Kuwait Food Safety Conference (KFSC) on in Andalus last month died while police were returning her to March 15-16, with the participation of several experts and jail from the public prosecution Thursday evening. The AMMAN: Kuwait-based Al-Najat Charitable Society announced specialists in this field across the globe. Dr Nawal Al-Qaoud, woman’s body was recovered by the coroner. The maid had yesterday it would take under its wings 1,250 Syrian and head of Administration of Food and Nutrition at Ministry of allegedly killed a citizen in her twenties before attempting sui- Jordanian orphans. Al-Najat announced this at a ceremony in Health, said in a press statement that the conference aims cide. She was rushed to Sabah Hospital while being in a critical conjunction with a Jordanian charitable society in a bid to allevi- to develop therapeutic nutrition in accordance with inter- condition at the time, where she attempted suicide several ate the plight of orphans of Syrian refugees and Jordanian national standards for a speedy recovery of patients. times but failed. A security source said that while the maid was orphans as well. The ceremony was attended by a number of She affirmed that therapeutic nutrition is a key factor of being returned to the central prison from the prosecution, a Syrian and Jordanian families with orphaned children. medical treatment, adding that the two-day event will policeman found her unconscious, so he alerted prison securi- Director of Al-Najat, Thamer Al-Saheeb, said that a Kuwaiti bring together international and national experts on food ty. They called in doctors, who pronounced her dead. An group made up of twelve people representing the Kuwaiti chari- safety. The event will be associated with a large fair of investigation went underway to determine the cause of death. table society came to the ceremony, adding that he was grateful Kuwait’s major companies specialized in nutrition, she said. to the embassy of Kuwait in Amman for its efforts to ease the It will discuss several axes on best methods to choose nutri- work of Kuwaiti charitable organizations in Jordan, particularly in tion, food additives, their effects on food production, food Medical staff assaulted dealing with Syrian refugees on Jordanian soil. Spokesperson for preservation methods and some advices on buying healthi- A dispute between a female patient and two citizens the Jordanian charity attending the ceremony, Mahmoud Abu- er food, she noted. There is a ward for the best awareness who work in Jahra polyclinic led to the beating of the Ramees, said that the charity he works for has about 2,000 design on food safety, she said, adding that everybody can two employees by the patient’s husband. The two orphans currently being looked after through funding by Al- participate in the competition through delivering the employees told police that were insulted and beaten by Najat. He thanked all Kuwaiti charities for their benevolent care design at the headquarters of Al-Sabah Health Region and a person, who escaped. Detectives are looking for the of refugees in Jordan. — KUNA filling in an application form until March 10. — KUNA suspect. — Al-Anbaa LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Kuwait’s anime, manga community gather at Plamo Con Key animator, voice actor attend convention

By Ben Garcia Plamo Con. “the excitement of our customers and participants has never demised ever since.” KUWAIT: Various Japanese arts including ani- Japan’s embassy officials lead by me, manga, comics, and cosplay are on display Ambassador Takashi Ashiki attended the event. at ‘Plamo Con,’ a convention and exhibition “We consider this as a pop-culture event,” Ashiki which kicked off at the Zain Tent near 360 Mall said. “A lot of Kuwaiti young men and women on Thursday evening. The three-day event is were in attendance; many of them dressed as organized by Plamo Con, Kuwait’s first official (anime and video games) characters that they home of Japanese animation characters. Plamo like. We planned this event for them to come Con is hosting the seventh event in cooperation together under one roof.” with the Japanese Embassy. The event, which concludes today, also hosts “When we first organized the event in 2012, I a best cosplay contest and video game tourna- was really surprised to know that a lot of people ments, held for the first time. Some of the win- in Kuwait really like Japanese anime and cosplay,” ners selected will qualify to participate in com- said Yousef Fawzi Mustafa Karam, President of petitions to be held in Japan in August 2016.

KUWAIT: Yousef Fawzi Mustafa Karam, President of Plamo Con (left). — Photos by Joseph Shagra LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Celebrity guests Grendizer,” Karam said. A famous super-robot anima- This year’s event also hosted a famous Japanese tion that debuted on Japanese television in 1975, animator and Lebanese voice actor, who supervised a Grendizer has maintained relevance in the Middle East number of workshops and gave lectures at the venue. for over thirty years ever since the Arabic-dubbed ver- “The visit of Masami Suda, a celebrity guest from sion was broadcasted in Arab countries. Japan, gives a lot of credence to the event,” Karam Plamo Con visitors have the chance to meet said, crediting the Japanese Ambassador’s help to Suda and Attrash and receive signed copies of ani- facilitate the key animator’s arrival to Kuwait. Suda is mation character sketches from them. They are credited for his work on Fist of the North Star, also participating as judges in the cosplay contest, PokÈmon the Movie 2000, the Dragon Ball movies and Karam said. Gatchaman, among others famous works. The event has attracted visitors not only from In addition, the event’s organizers invited Jihad Al- Kuwait, but also from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Attrash, a famous voice actor from Lebanon. “His most countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United famous work is doing the Arabic voiceover for ‘Duke Arab Emirates, Karam said. “We also have video termi- Fleed,’ the main character in the famous anime nals from various parts of the GCC,” he added. LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 First horses exhibition held at Mishref Fairground Faten Omar the Kuwait Riders Academy. “(Visitors) Kandari added that the Kuwait Riders can also enjoy a special show performed Academy teaches according to the KUWAIT: For the first time in Kuwait, Al- by our outstanding horse riders, in addi- British Horse Society. When riders finish Buraq Academy held an exhibition for tion to an introductory lecture that will their courses, they can join the British horses at the Kuwait International be talking about horses, their uses in the Horse Society to become more profes- Fairground in Mishref. The exhibition, past and present as well as their living sional, Kandari said, adding that his held under the slogan ‘live the equestri- environments and their dietary system.” academy offers educational camping an experience,’ was inaugurated last Kanderi told Kuwait Times that he trips in the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Wednesday at Hall number 7. It runs was happy to participate in the first exhi- Holland. until 10:00 pm this evening. bition for horses in Kuwait where visitors The exhibition held an auction for 70 Visitors can experience equestrianism can find everything about horses in one Arabian horses. In addition, several pub- by horseback riding. “The Kuwait Riders place. “Kuwait Riders Academy provides lic and private bodies participated in the Academy invites participation in Al- affordable equestrian services for enthu- event, including the Ministry of Interior, Buraq’s first equestrian exhibition to siasts and professionals alike since 2007. the Ministry of Defense, Ali Alghanim introduce the benefits and the power of We are giving courses and workshops for and Sons Automotive, The Kuwaiti equestrian for those young generations,” people all ages to learn more about Society for Arabian Horses, and Kuwait’s said Mohammad Al-Kanderi, founder of horse riding,” he said. equine art gallery.

KUWAIT: Mohammad Al-Kanderi, founder of the Kuwait Riders Academy. — photos by Joseph Shagra SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 ‘Social curse’ of debt Brazil ex-president Lula Mahathir joins with old raises worries in Qatar 8 held in corruption probe 12 enemies to push out PM 14

DETROIT: Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump (second left) gestures as Sen Marco Rubio, Sen Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov John Kasich watch him a Republican presidential primary debate at Fox Theatre on Thursday. — AP Rivals blitz Trump at debate More schoolyard taunts, charges of lying DETROIT: Chief rivals to US Republican presidential front-runner positions on the Iraq war, immigration and whether to admit who are highly skilled should be allowed to remain in the United Donald Trump assailed him for shifting positions on the issues at a refugees from the Syrian civil war. “You have to show a degree of States. Rubio pressed Trump on the foreign workers he has debate, but said in the end they would reluctantly support him if flexibility,” he said. imported to work at his Palm Beach resort, jobs he said could go to he were their party’s nominee. Under questioning by Fox News Both Rubio and Cruz pounced. “I hope we don’t see yoga on Americans. Trump said the workers were for a short November-to- Channel moderators on Thursday, US Senators Marco Rubio of this stage,” Cruz said. Replied Rubio: “Well, he’s very flexible so you March season. “People don’t want a short-term job,” Trump said. Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Governor John Kasich never know.” It remained to be seen whether the debate would “So we bring people in and we send people out.” made the promise despite efforts by party elders to build an anti- prove to be damaging to Trump. The runaway frontrunner to date Trump coalition of Republican voters to pick someone other than has been immune from criticism that other politicians normally ‘Give Me a Break’ the incendiary New York billionaire. face, for instance, over flip-flopping on issues. Rubio asked Trump why he does not bring his clothing-making Hours earlier 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney in a While Trump saw the greatest number of overall mentions on operations to the United States from China and Mexico if he is so speech blasted Trump, a former reality TV show host, as an unelec- social media site Twitter, an analysis showed that 63 percent of the interested in bringing jobs home, a central tenet of his unconven- table fraud whose nomination would ensure victory for tweets expressing an opinion on him were negative, according to tional campaign. “This little guy has lied so much about my Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in the Nov 8 election to social media analytics firm Brandwatch which separated objective record,” Trump said in response to Rubio, adding that he had succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. Tempers escalated tweets from opinionated tweets in its analysis. The rating marks a begun bringing some clothing operations home from overseas. quickly at the two-hour debate and, as in previous encounters, the decline in positive sentiment for Trump. In the last two Republican But Rubio persisted: “The answer is he’s not going to do it ... The battle descended into schoolyard taunts between Trump, Rubio debates, Trump broke even in terms of positive and negative men- reason he makes it in China and Mexico is because he can make and Cruz with accusations of lying and even a reference to male tions, according to the firm’s analysis, while he enjoyed a 62.5 per- more money on it.” genitalia. cent positive sentiment rating during the Republican debate Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly, who famously clashed with While Trump’s three rivals followed party dogma, insisting before that. Trump at the first Republican debate last August, generated a they would set aside their concerns and rally around the ultimate fresh exchange in pressing Trump to explain his involvement with nominee, they said they did so reluctantly if Trump were to Immigration, Foreign Workers Trump University, a now-defunct online education company that emerge as the candidate for the general election. “Sometimes he Rubio, 44, and Cruz, 45, questioned Trump’s immigration policy has faced lawsuits from people who feel they paid out money for makes it a little bit hard,” said Kasich, 63. Trump, asked if he would and his use of foreign workers at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago resort in Trump U and got nothing in return. “Give me a break,” said Trump. support the Republican nominee if it was someone other than Palm Beach, Florida. Cruz demanded Trump release an audiotape “Let’s see what happens in court.” him, seemed startled by the question given the momentum of an off-the-record session he had with New York Times editorial Rubio accused Trump of fleecing everyday Americans for per- behind him, but eventually said, “Yes I will.” Trump, 69, defended writers on Jan 5. Cruz and others have suggested that in the ses- sonal gain. “He’s trying to do to the American voter what he did to himself from Romney’s blistering rebuke and called Romney a sion Trump might have been more flexible on immigration than in the people who signed up for this course,” Rubio said. The debate failed candidate. public statements insisting he would build a wall between the went down a negative path early on when Trump responded to With the Florida and Ohio primary votes looming on March 15 United States and Mexico and deport 11 million illegal immigrants. Rubio’s contention last month that Trump had “small hands”. as make-or-break for the anti-Trump forces, Trump provided some Trump refused to release the tape but said he would be flexi- “Look at these hands,” Trump said, flashing his two hands to the ammunition to his critics. Trump shrugged when presented with ble, for instance, on the height of the wall. He also abruptly crowd. He dismissed any suggestion he might be small elsewhere, videotaped evidence from the moderators that he had shifted changed his position on foreign workers, saying more of them Trump said: “I guarantee you there is no problem.” — Reuters INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Shabab ‘can survive for 30 years’

NAIROBI: On a Sunday afternoon in late army, the 22,000-strong force is the only protec- February a car exploded outside a crowded tor of the internationally-backed government restaurant in Baidoa, Somalia, and moments later the jihadists are committed to overthrowing. a suicide bomber blew himself up among fleeing Similarly, the killing of civilians serves to under- survivors. At least 30 people died in the attack, mine confidence in the government. “They are the latest by the Shabab, a Somali-led Al-Qaeda attacking signs of normality,” said Hansen by group in East Africa that continues to defy shooting up a beachside restaurant, turning a repeated predictions of its demise. Two days public garden into a slaughter ground or blow- before the Baidoa bombings 14 people were ing up football fans. The message is clear, said killed when two bombs exploded outside a hotel Cedric Barnes, Horn of Africa director at the and a public park in the capital Mogadishu. International Crisis Group research organization: One was a 200 kg homemade bomb, only the “Shabab is saying, ‘There is no normality, no second time Shabab has used such a large security, it’s not Somalia Rising, who are you try- device. The first was in July and the explosion ing to kid?’” tore the side off a six-storey hotel. Five weeks earlier, 19 were killed in a bomb and gun attack Shabab Reborn on a restaurant on Mogadishu’s Lido Beach. It is With a change of government due later this not just civilians who are targeted. On Jan 15, year, the tempo of Shabab attacks appears to be Shabab fighters overran a military outpost in El- rising in an effort to undermine the already-shaky Adde, southern Somalia, manned by up to 200 MOGADISHU: A man looks at the dead body of a person killed during an attack in the cen- legitimacy of the process, said Barnes. The style of Kenyan soldiers deployed as part of the African ter of the Somali capital on Feb 26, 2016. — AFP attack is also shifting, said Ken Menkhaus, a pro- Union peace-enforcement mission, AMISOM. main troop contributing countries and a lack of things.” By enforcing local support, “Shabab can fessor at Davidson College in the US. “Shabab is Kenya has refused to say how many of its soldiers coordination, funds, focus and will. It is also survive for 30 years,” said Hansen. The heavy launching more spectacular attacks, looking for were killed in the attack. struggling to adapt to a rural counter-insurgency losses inflicted on the Burundians in Lego, the maximum bang for its buck,” said Menkhaus. The Matt Bryden, director of Sahan Research, a after its eventual success in urban combat Ugandans in Janale and Kenyans in El-Adde have city attacks also underscore Shabab’s continued Nairobi-based think tank, described the first such pushed Shabab out of Mogadishu five years ago. cowed AMISOM, which has retreated from some infiltration of government areas and the ease with attack, on a Burundian forward operating base in “AMISOM is fighting the wrong war,” said Stig areas and hunkered down in others. “Since AMI- which it can use corruption and sympathetic Lego last June, as “a threshold operation”. Its suc- Jarle Hansen, a Norwegian academic and author SOM is not in an offensive posture, Shabab has insiders to subvert security arrangements, moving cess meant that assaults on isolated company- of a forthcoming book on jihad in Africa. “AMI- plenty of space to think, plan and prepare,” said truck bombs through roadblocks or - as in a sized AMISOM units became their “standard SOM watches their own back, they are in their Bryden. botched plot in February - placing a laptop bomb operating procedure”. AMISOM’s effectiveness is garrisons, they go out patrolling once a week Hitting AMISOM makes sense for Shabab on a plane inside an airport that is supposed to be hampered by suspicion and jealousy among the and the rest of the week the Shabab is on top of because in the absence of a functioning national the best-protected place in the country. — AFP News ‘Social curse’ of debt in brief raises worries in Qatar Israel demolishes West Bank homes JERUSALEM: Israeli forces demolished dozens of structures Some citizens living beyond their means including a school in the northern West Bank this week, leaving 10 families homeless, the UN said yesterday. The DOHA: Credit cards on the limit, huge bank borrowings and a strug- lavish wedding parties with loans that can devour salaries and lead demolitions took place on Wednesday in the village of gle to repay loans: these are the personal debt problems of some to depression and divorce. Khirbet Tana, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank. In Qataris despite the Gulf state’s reputation for fabulous wealth. Part of the problem, some Qataris say, is that the country’s eco- total, 41 structures were destroyed, displacing 36 Generous government salaries and free healthcare, funded by vast nomic boom during the era of high energy prices that lasted until natural gas reserves in a country with only about 300,000 citizens, do mid-2014 rapidly pushed up standards of living - and expectations of Palestinians including 11 children, the UN’s humanitarian not always translate into healthy bank balances for ordinary Qataris. what it means to be both wealthy and successful. “You cannot have a body said in a statement. COGAT, the defence ministry Instead, they can come under intense social pressure to live way bad watch on your wrist, a second-hand car, or an old telephone. body responsible for coordinating Israeli government activ- beyond their means, spending lavishly on everything from the latest You need to have the latest models so as not to appear ‘poor’,” said ity in the Palestinian territories, put the number of struc- smart phones and designer fashions to family weddings. Now their Mohammed al-Mari, a former traffic policeman who works in the tures at 20. It said demolition orders were issued in problems are deepening as diving global energy prices mean even charity sector. “People end up pretending they have money just to advance. Nickolay Mladenov, UN special coordinator for the Qatari welfare state is becoming less generous. keep up. There is this social pressure.” the Middle East peace process, said last month the number Many are borrowing enormous sums from local banks to finance Al-Mari said that while he has managed to pay off debts and save of such demolitions has tripled on average since the start lifestyles they cannot afford, according to a study by Qatar University. money during his career years, he knew of a recent university gradu- of the year. “Since the beginning of 2016, Israel has demol- “The idea of Qataris being a small, lucky, happy few - it’s a myth,” said ate who was struggling. “He buys the latest iPhone because his peers ished, on average, 29 Palestinian-owned structures per Laurent Lambert, of the university’s Social and Economic Survey have it but then, at the end of the month, he sells it back to pay his week, three times the weekly average for 2015,” he said. Research Institute. “Many do not have the income to match the bills,” he said. Al-Mari recalled how a Qatari woman had recently lifestyle and a small percentage are significantly poor by local stan- flown to neighboring Dubai to purchase a counterfeit designer dards and struggling to make ends meet.” handbag. “Her friend had bought a bag that she wanted but couldn’t Turkey car bomb Widespread personal debt, while familiar throughout the Gulf afford,” he said. As well as a culture of extravagance and conspicuous where loosely-regulated banks and extravagant living are common- consumption among some, others decry Qatar’s “welfare syndrome” attack kills 2 police place, does not yet appear to threaten Qatar’s overall financial sys- that has led a generation to believe it can live carelessly and be DIYARBAKIR, Turkey: A car bomb and rocket attack tem. Of the 75 per cent of Qatari families in debt - most owe more bailed out by relatives or a paternalistic government. by Kurdish militants in Turkey killed two police officers than 250,000 riyals ($68,700), according to a 2014 Qatar National Spreading Wealth and wounded 35 people in the southeastern province Development Strategy report - only a handful default on their loan Part of a strategy by Gulf Arab governments to distribute some of of Mardin yesterday, security sources said. The bomb payments, an offence punishable by prison. But recent layoffs of their newly-discovered wealth, loans were extended to citizens in the blast, blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) mili- some state employees and petrol price increases - reforms hastened 1960s and ‘70s and again in the early 2000s to help them buy shares tants, caused significant damage to a traffic police sta- by the sinking energy market - have refocused attention on indebt- in the state’s multi-billion dollar energy enterprises. Liberal lending tion and neighboring housing in the town of Nusaybin, edness and the problems it could present to social cohesion if citi- by local banks, flush with funds from a fast-growing economy, was near the Syrian border, the sources told Reuters. A zens start to press their relatives and the government heavily for later extended to households wanting for instance to build a holiday clash broke out between police and militants after the help. While Qatar has a total population of 2.5 million, most are for- home or buy a new car. These were handed loans, often several explosion, which occurred around 6 a.m. (0400 GMT). eign workers who have less access to the cheap loans available in a times their annual salary, with virtually no collateral. Security force reinforcements, along with ambulances country where a conventional banking system operates alongside - “It was a free for all. Anyone could borrow basically as much they and fire engines, were sent to the area, the sources but separately from - Islamic financial institutions. Likened to a “social wanted,” said Mohamed Al-Kubaisa, a Qatari sociologist and newspa- said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. curse” by Qatari commentators and a “fever spreading from house to per columnist. After concerns grew about the proliferation of loans Two soldiers were killed in a clash in the Idil district of house”, over-indebtedness among the much smaller local popula- and of Qataris unable to pay them back, the central bank imposed in the neighboring province of Sirnak, which borders tion is a raising national concern. 2011 a cap of two million riyals on consumer credit secured only both Syria and Iraq and has seen some of the heaviest Radio talk shows air interviews with distressed civil servants who against borrowers’ salaries, with a maximum repayment period of six violence, the Dogan news agency said. It also said complain of becoming mired in debt after borrowing from banks years. Later that year, as Arab Spring protests spread across the Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had arrived in the without understanding the costs of repayment. In Friday sermons, region, the government raised state employees’ salaries by 60 per- Muslim clerics rail against those who finance holidays to Europe and cent and by 120 percent for military personnel. — Reuters province for a brief visit. INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Major busts shed light on drug trade

BEIRUT: A string of major drug busts in Syria General Maamun Ammuri, head of Syria’s and Lebanon has drawn new attention to the Drug Enforcement Agency, said authorities had trade in captagon, an illegal substance that has seized shipments amounting to 24 million cap- flourished in the chaos of Syria’s war. Security tagon capsules in 2015 alone. Some five million forces in both countries have clamped down in capsules were discovered en route from Syria’s recent months on exports of the psychostimu- Mediterranean port of Tartus to Kuwait, and oth- lant, produced in swathes of Syrian and er “large amounts” were confiscated along the Lebanese territory where government oversight Lebanese and Turkish borders, Ammuri said. In is lax or non-existent. “When the Syrian crisis war-torn Syria, authorities say captagon produc- started, Lebanon and Syria were transformed tion occurs largely in areas outside government into a gateway to smuggle captagon,” a control, including northern Aleppo and on the Lebanese security source told AFP on condition outskirts of the capital. of anonymity. “Our documents indicate that drug traffick- “The substance wasn’t invented in the past ers are terrorist groups with two goals: First, to five years - but that’s when smuggling opera- spread this poison in areas under the control of tions flourished, so Lebanon became an export- the Islamic State group to fund themselves and ing country,” he said. Captagon is classified by buy weapons,” said Ammuri. “And second, for its the UN Office on Drugs and Crime as an fighters to use so that they become numb to “amphetamine-type stimulant” and usually their own criminal activities, like beheadings blends amphetamines, caffeine and other sub- and executions,” he added. A former opposition DAMASCUS: Syrian police show seized drugs and captagon pills at the Drug Enforcement stances. On Dec 30, Lebanese authorities said fighter who is now in Lebanon as a refugee said Administration in the capital on Jan 4, 2016. — AFP they, in coordination with Saudi Arabia, had he used to take captagon with his fellow fight- seized 12 million captagon capsules and arrest- ers “to eliminate fatigue and fear so we could factions produce captagon, but said it was strict- Syria, including the towns of Arsal, Flita, and ed the “mastermind” of a cell exporting them to stay up longer”. “It made us brave and gave us ly to generate funds for rebel groups and mem- Brital in the east and Wadi Khaled in the north, the Gulf. And in October, Lebanon arrested a extraordinary energy,” he told AFP. Another bers were banned from partaking. the security source said. “Captagon factories Saudi prince and four other Saudi nationals for Syrian rebel said that “IS and (Al-Qaeda affiliate) don’t need a lot of space. You could produce attempting to smuggle out nearly two tonnes of Al-Nusra Front, as well as Islamist groups, forbid $5-10 a Pop millions of capsules in a minivan without mak- captagon via Beirut airport, in one of the coun- the use of these drugs because they’re against In Lebanon, factories churning out captagon ing any noise,” a second security source in try’s largest busts. Islamic law.” A third admitted that opposition are largely based along the restive border with Lebanon said. — AFP AKP forms plans for stronger presidency

Proposals would hand Erdogan executive powers ANKARA: Changes to Turkey’s constitution envisaged by the of parliament to be put to a national vote, were already under ruling AK Party could hand President Tayyip Erdogan new discussion. The plans would allow the president to dissolve powers to draft legislation directly and pick ministers, senior parliament, officials familiar with the discussions said. Such a officials said, moves opponents fear could entrench authori- move would also end the president’s term and trigger parlia- tarian rule. A cross-party commission charged with drafting a mentary and presidential elections to ensure checks and bal- SABRATHA, Libya: Italians Gino Pollicardo (left), 55, and new constitution collapsed last month after the main opposi- ances, they added. Filippo Calcagno, 65,are seen following their release yes- tion pulled out over attempts by the AKP, founded by Two senior AKP officials involved in the deliberations said terday in this Libyan city. — AFP Erdogan more than a decade ago, to change Turkey from a the president would be able to issue decrees to enact legisla- parliamentary to a presidential system. tion without consulting parliament. “The president in our pro- Italian hostages Erdogan won Turkey’s first popular presidential election in posal would be more powerful than under the US system,” August 2014 and has made no secret of his ambition to one of the officials said, declining to be identified because the freed in Libya imbue the largely ceremonial post with more powers. plans have not yet been finalized. The head of state would Previous heads of state had been elected by parliament. The also appoint the cabinet as well as senior figures including TRIPOLI: Two Italians kidnapped last July in Libya were freed debate over the constitution has profound implications for ambassadors and some members of the judiciary. yesterday in a raid on Islamic State group hideouts in a city Turkey, a NATO member state of 79 million people with aspi- near the capital, officials in Libya and Rome said. The rations to join the European Union. The outcome could ‘Secretaries, Not Ministers’ announcement came a day after Italy said that two other change the way Turkey is ruled and redefine issues ranging The AKP has broad cross-party support for overhauling the nationals abducted at the same time had probably been killed from Turkish citizenship to the protection of religious free- constitution, which dates back to an era of military coups and in clashes between jihadists and local militiamen. “Two Italian doms. Erdogan’s supporters say an executive presidency is has been repeatedly revised. But there are wide divergences hostages were released... in Sabratha after an operation tar- vital if Turkey is to have the powerful leadership it needs to over what a new charter should look like. Opposition parties geting several houses after information reached security take a bigger role on the world stage. They reject suggestions want it to focus primarily on protecting minority rights and forces that Daesh elements were there,” the city’s mayor it is about the personal ambition of one man. His opponents democratic freedoms. “The current system is already pretty Hussein al-Dawadi said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. “They say it will consolidate too much power in the hands of a much like a semi-presidential system ... Even if there are are now at a police station in Sabratha,” 70 km east of Tripoli, leader, whose grip over the media, the judiciary and police shortcomings, a 200-year-old parliamentary system must not he added. has tightened in recent years. They fear Erdogan’s roots in be sacrificed to the ambitions of one person,” said Omer Suha Gino Pollicardo, 55, and Filippo Calcagno, 65, said in a conservative Islamist politics will take Turkey ever further Aldan, a deputy from the main opposition CHP. “The presi- statement released by the Sabratha municipality: “We are free from Western standards on free speech. dent would designate and unseat (cabinet members). They and are relatively well physically but are psychologically Erdogan has urged parliament to take the issue to a refer- wouldn’t be ministers, they’d be secretaries,” he said. exhausted. We urgently need to return to Italy.” In a video endum, saying he believes Turks will accept a new charter Erdogan, who was prime minister for more than a decade, posted on the municipality’s Facebook page, the pair were and stronger powers for the head of state. Amid opposition hoped after his election as head of state for swift constitu- seen wearing tracksuits, with long beards and dishevelled dissent, the AKP is readying its own draft proposals. “If it tional reform to bolster his powers. But those plans have hair. Pollicardo’s tearful wife told Italian media: “It’s over. I emerges that the constitutional commission cannot work, the been impeded in part because of opposition fears of creeping spoke to him on the phone.” AKP will begin work on a constitution including the presiden- authoritarianism. More than 1,800 court cases have been filed The foreign ministry in Rome confirmed the releases, say- tial system and will rapidly complete it,” said Mustafa Sen, a against people accused of insulting Erdogan since he became ing that the two “are no longer in the hands of their captors”. chief adviser to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. “A decision president, from students and a former Miss Turkey to journal- “They are now under the protection of the Sabratha military (on the AKP draft) could be reached before the summer ... We ists and academics, fuelling those fears. The looming trial of council and are in good health,” a statement added. The men are not writing a 10-volume novel. It must not be a text of two prominent editors on terrorism charges, after their oppo- were among four employees of Italian construction company more than 60-70 articles,” he told Reuters. sition newspaper Cumhuriyet published video of what it said Bonatti who were kidnapped in July 2015 in the Mellitah Several other senior AKP officials said the party’s propos- were intelligence officials trucking arms to Syria, has also region west of Tripoli. — AFP als, which would need the support of 14 opposition members raised international concern. — Reuters INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Myth of No Borders group in ‘Jungle’

CALAIS, France: They have become an influential violent hooligans presented in some parts of the lent thuggery - most had the air of earnest students or presence behind the scenes in France’s “Jungle” French and British press was greatly exaggerated. ageing hippies, all dreadlocks and beanie hats. “They migrant camp in Calais, but the myth surrounding the Anarchists, anti-globalists, agitators: these are only can be a real pain, too - doing things their own way. shadowy No Borders activist group serves many agen- some of the words used to describe the group by But their influence on the camp is minimal,” Maya said. das. As the demolition continued in the southern half politicians. Several thousand migrants are living in Tom Radcliffe, a British volunteer who helped of the camp, where thousands of migrants have gath- makeshift shelters on the outskirts of the northern establish Help Refugees and has been living in one of ered in the hope of smuggling their way to Britain, the French port city, hoping to sneak across the Channel the shacks cleared away this week, dismissed the idea French government has accused the “violent and and claim asylum in Britain. The camp has also attract- that No Borders is a dangerous source of disorder as extremist” No Borders group of spearheading resist- ed an ever-changing cast of volunteers from Britain, all “absolute nonsense”. “They are not sinister - they’re ance. trying to help, but often arriving with different ideas kids,” he said. “They sometimes do some rather foolish But distinguishing its members from the many vol- about how to protest the grim conditions in the things, giving people inaccurate information. They can unteers and aid workers in the camp was often diffi- Jungle. be immature because many of them are very young cult. Were these mysterious radicals among the dozens and haven’t seen what happens when things go bad.” of Europeans standing alongside Kurdish and Iranian ‘Done Lots of Good Things’ No Borders began in 1999, according to its website, refugees as they tried to block the bulldozers from The most notorious are No Borders. But aid workers and claims to fight against borders and immigration destroying the Hashram Kitchen, one of the main food who know the inner workings of the Jungle agreed controls saying “we believe in freedom of movement distribution centres? It was hard to tell. “If they’re here, there were barely a dozen No Borders activists - a far for all”. Calais is only one of their causes. The group none of them will talk to the press, that’s one of their cry from the hundreds sometimes reported by the says the idea that the Jungle residents cannot organize key rules,” said Maya, who works with the charity press or authorities. “They’ve done lots of good things themselves and need white activists from No Borders Auberge des Migrants. in Calais, like opening a squat for women. They are is “profoundly racist”. “There is a very strong move- She said they certainly had a more “revolutionary” useful, talk a lot to the migrants, especially on political ment which is entirely led by the migrants,” they wrote air than the charities working in the camp, and were questions,” said Maya. Around the Hashram Kitchen, on their website. For many, the biggest problem was more willing to confront the police, but the image of the atmosphere was more “peace and love” than vio- the myth surrounding No Borders. — AFP

Belfast bomb Treason at dinner: Tory injures officer Brexit rifts turn nasty BELFAST: A prison officer was injured by a bomb which exploded under his van in Belfast yesterday, police said, warning of a “severe” threat to security forces as the cen- Old rivalries, grievances come to the fore tenary approaches of the 1916 anti-British Easter Rising. LONDON: The plot was hatched over a slow- Police said the bomb went off shortly after the man start- roasted shoulder of lamb: two Conservative ed driving away from his home. The 52-year-old was heavyweights decided to defy Prime Minister undergoing surgery in hospital but his injuries were not David Cameron over Europe, igniting a feud life-threatening. A 1998 peace deal largely ended three that is creating a bitter rift in the party. The decades of violence in Northern Ireland between setting was the north London home of the Protestants who want to remain under British rule and city’s charismatic mayor Boris Johnson - one Catholics favouring unification with Ireland, but violence of the schemers and a longtime rival of sporadically erupts. Cameron’s with ambitions to replace him in Downing Street one day. More attacks were “highly likely” in the coming weeks, The other man was justice minister Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Martin told a news Michael Gove, an intellectual leading light of conference. “This could have been a fatality, the people the Conservative party and friend of the who planned this wanted to kill a prison officer,” Martin prime minister who has harbored resent- said, blaming the attack on nationalists opposed to British ment against him over a high-profile demo- rule. “There are people within dissident republican group- tion. Gove’s wife Sarah Vine, a columnist for ings who want to mark this centenary by killing prison the Daily Mail, described the evening as “all a officers, police officers or soldiers,” he added. “We believe bit surreal”, with the two MPs sitting side by the threat is extremely high, at the upper end of severe.” side on a sofa in Johnson’s “stylishly dishev- LONDON: This file photo taken on Feb 22, 2016 shows Mayor of London Boris The rebellion 100 years ago, centred in Dublin, paved elled drawing room”. Johnson as he leaves his home. — AFP the way for the Irish republic to achieve independence, It was a couple of days before Cameron el of rancor. The reasoned arguments laid out Britain’s most popular newspaper, in which went to Brussels last month for a European while the six counties of Northern Ireland remained in the in Gove’s letter explaining his position quick- he mocked Cameron for “clutching the skirts Union summit that has paved the way for an United Kingdom. It will be marked by events on both ly turned into name-calling and barbed com- of Brussels”. in-out membership referendum on June 23 ments from others, with parliamentary sides of the Irish border this month. Martin said police had that has divided Cameron’s Conservatives. In been stepping up patrols and would try to be “culturally sketch writers picking up on a poisonous ‘All Guns Blazing’ the tight-knit world of Westminster and mood between Conservative cliques in the “Both sides are trying to find their range sensitive” at events to mark the uprising, the most dra- especially in Cameron’s inner circle - where House of Commons. Welfare minister Iain at the moment. They’re not engaging in matic chapter of Ireland’s independence struggle. many members attended the same universi- Duncan Smith, one of the six rebels, wrote in close combat yet,” James Forsyth, political Politicians on both sides of the historical divide con- ty, Oxford - old rivalries and personal griev- the Daily Mail yesterday condemning “spin, editor at the Spectator magazine, which demned yesterday’s attack. Northern Ireland’s First ances are coming to the fore. smears and threats” from the pro-EU camp. Johnson used to edit, told AFP. But Forsyth Minister Arlene Foster called it “disgraceful and despica- “The acrimonious manner in which all this said the internecine conflict so far “is not any- ble”. Foster’s father, a police officer, survived being shot ‘Spin, Smears and Threats’ has been conducted is troubling and will I where near as vicious” as the 1990s when by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the 1970s during the is a high-risk, high stakes game from fear have consequences long beyond June Conservative ministers openly feuded over which there will be no going back, either for 23,” he said. whether Britain should adopt the Maastricht violent period known as the “troubles”. Deputy First the prime minister or for his Tory oppo- Minister Martin McGuinness, a former commander in the Foreign minister Philip Hammond has Treaty. That conflict ultimately led to the nents,” Daily Telegraph columnist Allister reportedly called leading eurosceptic Bill downfall of then Conservative prime minister IRA during the troubles and a senior member of the Heath wrote this week. After Cameron nationalist Sinn Fein party, also condemned what he Cash a “total shit”, while Johnson dismissed John Major, a staunch pro-European. returned from the summit and announced a as “baloney” Cameron’s attempt to make a The sparring over the referendum is called a “despicable and futile act”. date for the referendum, Gove and five other positive case for staying in Europe. important for Cameron’s future too as he has In 2012, a Northern Irish prison officer was killed in a cabinet ministers broke with the prime minis- Tim Bale, politics professor at Queen committed to leaving office by the time of motorway shooting blamed on militant nationalists - the ter’s pro-EU line and joined the ranks of Brexit Mary, University of London, warned there the next election in 2020 without saying first such killing of a prison officer since 1993. The victim backers. They were quickly joined by a third was a risk that “a cumulative drip drip of a when or who will replace him. Forsyth said of Friday’s attack worked in a training school rather than of the party’s MPs including Johnson, who thousand petty cuts could turn a difficult sit- Cameron faced a choice between a meas- in a prison, Finlay Spratt, head of the Northern Irish Prison went to Eton College with Cameron and was uation into a crisis”. In a fiery speech last ured campaign that would allow him to unite a member of the same exclusive dinner club Officers Association, told Reuters. “This is just terrible. week, Cameron launched a thinly-veiled and the party afterwards or going in “all guns when the two were at Oxford University. For What can you say? We have been down this road before. scathing attack on his old rival Johnson, dis- blazing”. “I think he’s temperamentally more an older generation of Conservatives, opposi- missing his ideas as “for the birds” and mock- inclined to the latter,” he said, adding that These people have no justification for what they do,” tion to Europe is more an article of faith than Spratt said. — Reuters ing his barely concealed political ambition. the prime minister “isn’t pulling his punches a matter of policy - an explanation for the lev- Johnson hit back with an article in The Sun, at the moment”. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Ukraine rejects push for rebel polls

KIEV: Ukraine and Russia said yesterday they had not Ukraine insists that it cannot accept such elections until Ayrault said at the close of the Paris meeting on signed up to any agreements at peace talks in Paris a lasting and fully-verifiable ceasefire is established first. Thursday with his three counterparts. He also called for where France and Germany pushed for elections in “Our position - security first,” Klimkin wrote on Twitter. the release and exchange of all prisoners and people pro-Russian separatist regions by the end of June. The Kiev has also expressed fears that Russia - already held in “illegal detention” by the end of April. His two EU powers have been mediating negotiations having annexed Crimea in 2014 - may try to unsettle German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier did little between Ukraine and Russia over the 23-month war in the country further by exerting influence over the sepa- to hide his frustration over the meeting. “I am not satis- the industrial east of the former Soviet republic. ratist Donetsk and Lugansk provinces within a reunified fied by the way in which Kiev and Moscow have been “No agreements were reached,” Ukrainian Foreign Ukraine. A separatist vote also threatens to unleash a leading these negotiations,” he told reporters. Minister Pavlo Klimkin tweeted early yesterday, while popular backlash against President Petro Poroshenko Steinmeier had first floated the idea of the insur- his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov also said “no whose approval rating is already a fraction of what it gents conducting their own elections in the coming consensus” had been reached over the holding of elec- was when he took office shortly after parliament oust- months at a UN Security Council meeting on Monday. tions in the war-torn zone. The fighting has killed near- ed Ukraine’s Moscow-backed leadership in Feb 2014. Both Moscow and a top separatist negotiator blamed ly 9,200 people since April 2014 and raised alarm in The resulting stalemate appears to be undermining EU the seeming failure to achieve progress on Kiev. Lavrov eastern Europe about what they see as Russian efforts to return calm to the outer edge of the 28- said Ukraine was the only side at the meeting to reject President Vladimir Putin’s aggressive foreign policy nations’ eastern frontier and focus on new concerns the idea of setting a firm deadline for elections in rebel- stance. such as the ongoing migrant crisis and the possibility of run parts of the east. “We were ready to support it but Berlin and Paris argue that one of the continent’s Britain leaving the union. the Ukrainian side requested that it not be insisted worst crises since the Balkans wars of the 1990s could “We underlined the importance of adopting an elec- upon. As a result, no consensus was reached,” Lavrov be settled if the rebel-run regions hold Western-moni- toral law to hold local elections by the end of the first said in comments posted on Russian foreign ministry tored polls that may be recognized as valid by Kiev. But half of 2016,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc website yesterday. — AFP EU chief meets Erdogan as migrants double in Europe Plans to restore Schengen free travel BRUSSELS: A record 1.2 million asylum seekers reached Europe in 2015, more than double the previous year, new fig- ures showed yesterday as EU head FESSENHEIM, France: This file photo taken on April 09, Donald Tusk met Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan 2013 shows a reactor of the Fessenheim nuclear power on the crisis. With Tusk wrapping up a plant. — AFP whirlwind diplomatic tour before a crucial EU-Turkey summit in Brussels on Monday, Germany demands the EU unveiled a plan for saving the passport-free Schengen zone that has France shut nuke been jeopardized by the huge influx of migrants and refugees. plant near border Tusk has said numbers crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to reach the BERLIN: Germany demanded yesterday that France close down its Greek islands were “far too high” and was oldest nuclear plant, Fessenheim, near the German and Swiss bor- to push the Turkish president for more ders - just one of several ageing atomic plants that are unsettling intensive help. The sea crossing has been France’s neighbors. “This power plant is very old, too old to still be in the scene of hundreds of deaths, and a operation,” said a spokesman for Environment and Nuclear Safety Turkish court on Friday jailed two Syrian Minister Barbara Hendricks. “That’s why the environment minister people smugglers over the death of Aylan demands its closure at the earliest possible date,” he said, reiterating Kurdi, the three-year-old boy who ISTANBUL: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) shakes hands with Berlin’s earlier demands. drowned and washed up on a beach in European Council President Donald Tusk for the media before a meeting yes- The spokesman was reacting to media reports that claimed a September. terday. — AP 2014 incident at Fessenheim was more serious than earlier reported. Diplomatic efforts have also done little ers arriving in the EU, Syrians fleeing the With the UN warning the border closures Flooding had disabled electrical control systems and forced opera- to relieve the human misery along the civil war were the largest group, number- could leave Athens with 70,000 people tors to launch an emergency reactor shut-down, reported public Greek-Macedonia border where condi- ing nearly 363,000, followed by 178,200 stranded on its soil in the coming weeks, the broadcaster WDR and Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily. France and tions worsened after a night of driving Afghans and 121,500 Iraqis. EU has offered 700 million euros in emer- Germany are close political partners at the core of the EU but have rain and plummeting temperatures. The Germany was the single largest recipi- gency funding for Greece and other states. If taken vastly different energy paths. humanitarian crisis is particularly acute at ent of asylum applications in 2015, at Schengen collapses and border controls France, which gets more than 75 percent of electricity from the Idomeni crossing where around 441,800 or some 35 percent of the total, return it could cost the EU between five bil- nuclear plants, has been a leading international proponent of atomic 12,000 people are stranded after Austria with Hungary taking 174,400 or 14 per- lion and Ä18 billion ($5.5-$20 billion) a year - energy. Germany - where the public mood swung against nuclear and the Balkan states imposed a cap on cent and Sweden 156,100 or 12 percent. equivalent to 0.05 percent to 0.13 percent power after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster - decided after Japan’s entries, triggering a rapidly growing Separate figures from the EU showed that of the bloc’s economic output, Brussels said. Fukushima meltdown five years ago to phase out nuclear power. build-up in Greece. “It was very difficult, an average of 1,943 people were still Tusk has bluntly warned economic The German media reports said that Fessenheim operators in the nobody slept, and this morning the chil- crossing to Greece every day in February, migrants to stay away from Europe, in incident decided to insert boron into the reactor cooling system, a dren were crying,” said Teshrina Sharif, a way above what Brussels is expecting remarks on Thursday as he arrived in procedure the report likened to “pulling the emergency brake”. The Syrian woman travelling alone with a from Ankara. Ankara for talks with Prime Minister Ahmet joint news report said that operators temporarily lost full control three-year-old and a five-year-old. “We need to see the flows from Turkey Davutoglu, who will attend the Monday over the plant’s reactor 1 in the April 9, 2014 incident after water had drastically down soon,” EU Migration Brussels summit. “Do not come to Europe,” incapacitated one of two parallel reactor security systems. The offi- Turkey Flows Must Fall ‘Drastically’ Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos he said. “Do not believe the smugglers. Do cial reports by French nuclear safety agency ASN had not mentioned Greece is the main entry point for told a news conference as he unveiled the not risk your lives and your money. It is all the use of boron, the media report said. migrants who have reached Europe by bloc’s new “roadmap” for Schengen. The for nothing.” The crisis now poses an “exis- “I am not aware of any other case where a power reactor here in sea from Turkey over the past 14 months, plan calls for the end of temporary border tential” threat to the EU that challenges its Western Europe suffered an incident in which it had to be shut down prompting increasingly frantic diplomatic controls reintroduced by several member ideals of peace and solidarity that were with the use of boron,” nuclear safety expert Manfred Mertins was efforts to curb Europe’s worst migration states and the restoration by the end of formed in the ashes of World War II, for- quoted saying. The German environment ministry spokesman, how- crisis since World War II. The sheer scale of 2016 of full free travel across the 26-coun- mer European Commission chief Jose ever, suggested the reports were exaggerated, stressing that the crisis that is dividing EU nations and try Schengen zone. Brussels also called for Manuel Barroso told AFP. “I really believe Germany believed the French operators had at no stage lost the abil- fostering nationalist sentiment was the creation of an EU coastguard force by it’s the most serious crisis in many years ity to shut down the reactor in a controlled way. Fessenheim houses underscored by Eurostat figures showing the summer, help for Greece to strength- the European Union is facing, probably two 900-megawatt reactors and has been running since 1977, mak- the number of asylum applications in en its external border, and to ensure the even the most serious since the begin- ing its France’s oldest operating plant. Due to its age activists have 2015 doubled that of the previous year. cooperation of Turkey in stemming the ning of the process of European integra- long called for it to be permanently closed. — AFP Of the 1.25 million first-time asylum seek- flow of migrants. tion,” Barroso said. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Environmentalist murdered in Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA: Honduran indigenous activist Berta killing “a crime against Honduras” and vowed to bring Caceres, an award-winning environmentalist, was shot the perpetrators to justice, while the secretary general and killed in her home Thursday, her family said, label- of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, ing her death an assassination. Caceres won the 2015 condemned the crime as “horrific”. As Caceres’ body Goldman Prize, considered the world’s top award for lay in a hall at a union headquarters in the Honduran grassroots environmental activism, for leading the capital late Thursday, supporters outside shouted, indigenous Lenca people in a struggle against a “Berta is alive, the fight goes on.” Some 3,000 students hydroelectric dam project that would flood large areas blocked a road elsewhere in Tegucigalpa before of native lands and cut off water supplies to hundreds. police dispersed them with teargas. Caceres’s mother, Berta Flores, said police had indi- Honduras, which has seen an explosion of gang cated her daughter was killed in a robbery, “but we all violence in recent years, has one of the highest mur- know it was because of her struggle.” Caceres, a 43- der rates in the world. Security Minister Julian year-old mother of four who had received death Pacheco said police arrested two people, a security threats for her activism, was shot dead in the early guard at the complex where Caceres lived and hours of Thursday at her home in the western town of another suspect who was wounded, but he did not La Esperanza, Flores told TV network Globo. give further details on the investigation. He said In awarding her the prize, the Goldman organiza- police had measures in place to protect Caceres, who tion commended her for carrying on her campaign recently won a ruling by the Inter-American despite the threats, writing: “Her murder would not Commission on Human Rights granting her special surprise her colleagues, who keep a eulogy-but hope security measures. Police formerly provided her an TEGUCIGALPA: A man holds up a cutout por- to never have to use it. Despite these risks, she main- around-the-clock guard, but switched to an occa- trait of slain Honduran indigenous leader tains a public presence in order to continue her work.” sional security detail at the activist’s own request, he and environmentalist Berta Caceres outside President Juan Orlando Hernandez called the added. — AFP the coroner’s office on Thursday. — AP Brazil ex-president Lula held in corruption probe Investigation has ensnared powerful people SAO PAULO: Police searched the home of seizure and 11 for detention for question- and a site in Atibaia (as well as) luxury furni- Brazil’s powerful ex-president Luiz Inacio ing,” prosecutors said in a statement. The ture,” prosecutors said in their statement. Lula da Silva and detained him for question- operations in Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and Sao Lula denies ownership of the apartment and ing yesterday in a probe into a huge corrup- Paulo states involved probes into “corrup- any involvement in the Petrobras scheme. tion scheme. Agents searched his house in tion and money laundering, among other Prosecutors, however, said that beyond Sao Paulo, the offices of the Lula Institute, crimes practiced by various people in the the immediate issue of the properties, they and houses of family members and associ- context of the Petrobras criminal scheme.” were examining Lula’s wider role in the ates, said Jose Chrispiniano, a spokesman for Lula, who was president from 2003-2010, alleged Petrobras-related web of corruption SANTO DOMINGO: Frenchman Christophe Naudin is Lula and his institute. remains one of Brazil’s most influential fig- enveloping the Workers’ Party, the Lula escorted upon arriving in the Dominican Republic yester- Prosecutors said Lula was being targeted ures and his fate is closely linked to that of Institute and also campaign finances. day. — AFP “Former president Lula, beyond being party leader, was ultimately responsible for who would be the directors at Petrobras and was one of the main beneficiaries of the crimes,” ‘Air Cocaine’ the statement said. Acknowledging the extraordinary nature of a once hugely popular president being Frenchman detained, prosecutors said: “It is not a value judgment about who he is ... but an inves- tigative judgment based on facts and certain extradited acts which are under suspicion.” “In a repub- lic, even famous and powerful people must SANTO DOMINGO: Frenchman Christophe Naudin arrived come under judicial scrutiny when there is a early yesterday in the Dominican Republic after being extra- well-founded suspicion of criminal activity.” dited by Egypt over his alleged involvement in the escape of The news came a day after a bombshell two pilots jailed in a drugs case dubbed “Air Cocaine”. Naudin, claim by a Brazilian magazine that a former close ally of Lula and Rousseff - a senior a 53-year-old criminologist and aviation security expert who Workers’ Party senator who has already been was arrested in Cairo on February 4, is wanted in the charged in the Car Wash probe - was prepar- Caribbean nation on suspicion of helping pilots Pascal Fauret ing to testify against them. Senator Delcidio and Bruno Odos flee to France in October after they had been SAO PAULO: A supporter of former Brazilian president do Amaral, who was arrested last November, sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who gathered with others out- was reportedly negotiating a plea bargain The pair, who maintain their innocence, were arrested in side his residence is restrained by militarized police deal with prosecutors in which he would tes- March 2013 as they were about to depart from Punta Cana in officers in Sao Bernardo do Campo yesterday. Police tify that Rousseff obstructed the Petrobras a private jet found to be carrying 680 kg of cocaine. Convicted searched the home of Lula (inset) and detained him for probe and that Lula had also been involved of drug trafficking in August, they were released pending questioning yesterday. — AFP in the scheme. appeal but barred from leaving the Caribbean nation. They The report, although unconfirmed, somehow managed to flee and return to France - an escape as part of the Operation Car Wash probe into his successor, President Dilma Rousseff, and sparked a furious reaction from Rousseff’s that Dominican prosecutors allege Naudin facilitated. an embezzlement and bribery conspiracy the future of the ruling Workers’ Party. government and the president said in a Prosecutor Francisco Dominguez said Naudin would be centered on state oil company Petrobras. Chrispiniano called the search, in which speech that fighting corruption was her “first charged with conspiracy and the trafficking of migrants. The corruption scandal, which has already agents were backed by armed officers, “arbi- priority”. Both Lula and Rousseff are also fac- Naudin arrived in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight, seen a Who’s Who of Brazilian politicians and trary, illegal and unjustified.” ing political heat after the arrest of their for- said Tessy Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the attorney general’s businessmen face charges, is believed to be The allegations against Lula center on a mer campaign manager, Joao Santana, who office. Naudin will make an initial court appearance within 48 the biggest ever in Brazil. luxury seaside apartment and country house allegedly took money originally embezzled hours of arrival, the prosecutor told journalists. Fauret and Officials said that a major sweep includ- that authorities say were given to the ex- from Petrobras. No allegations have been Odos fled back to France vowing to clear their names, but ing detentions and searches of properties president as bribes. “There is evidence that made officially against Rousseff in the were rearrested in November near the French city of Lyon. On had taken place in three states. “About 200 former President Lula received assets arising Petrobras scandal. But she faces a growing Feb 11, an appeals court in the Dominican Republic upheld federal police and 30 auditors served 44 war- from the Petrobras scheme through the allo- number of other problems that could see the 20-year prison sentences for the two pilots. Paris has ruled rants, including 33 warrants for search and cation and renovation of a triplex apartment her removed from office. — AFP out extraditing them. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

India denies visas Foreign patients turn to India to US religious in search of cut-price cures freedom body WASHINGTON: India has denied visas for a delegation NEW DELHI: When doctors told from the US government agency charged with monitoring Australian Greg Jefferys he had Hepatitis international religious freedom, the agency said on C and the disease was destroying his liv- Thursday. The delegation from the US Commission on er, the devastating diagnosis was com- International Religious Freedom had been scheduled to pounded by the cost of a cure. Unable to leave for India yesterday for a long-planned visit with the afford Sovaldi, hailed as a miracle drug, support of the US State Department and the US embassy the 61-year-old flew to India, one of a in New Delhi, but India had failed to issue the necessary growing army of patients seeking out visas, the commission said. low-cost, life-saving medicines on the “We are deeply disappointed by the Indian govern- subcontinent. Their illnesses vary - ment’s denial, in effect, of these visas,” USCIRF chairman Hepatitis C, cancer and HIV are among Robert George said in a statement. “As a pluralistic, non- the most common - but they are almost sectarian, and democratic state, and a close partner of the always desperate, seeing in India their United States, India should have the confidence to allow only hope to save their life or that of a our visit,” he said. George said USCIRF had been able to loved one. travel to many countries, including those among the They contact underground “buyers’ worst offenders of religious freedom, including Pakistan, clubs”, make the trip to India to buy from Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China, and Myanmar. “One would a legitimate distributor or seek out shady expect that the Indian government would allow for more online pharmacies promising mail-order transparency than have these nations, and would wel- cures. “The doctors told me ‘you’ve got NEW DELHI: This photo taken on Jan 28, 2016 shows Babu Bhai, an employee with come the opportunity to convey its views directly to Hepatitis C, you’ve probably got liver a pharmacy, gathering generic drugs for a customer from a storeroom. — AFP USCIRF.” cancer’,” recalled Jefferys, a PhD student. The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediate- “The chatter was around the new gener- Rejected for a patent in India, generic a blog, Jefferys receives 150 emails a day ly respond to a request for comment. Last year, despite a ic versions of Sovaldi being released in drug makers, some licensed by Gilead, from people in the US, Britain and else- much-heralded fresh start in US-India ties under Indian India. I hopped on a plane to Chennai produce versions such as Mylan’s where asking for help. “India’s produc- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United States ran into and in about two days I had an appoint- MyHep, that cost less than $900 a cycle. tion of these generic Hep C drugs is sav- problems arranging visits by the head of its office to com- ment with a specialist,” he said. “This is something I observe more and ing thousands of lives a week.” bat human trafficking and its special envoy for gay rights. India earned a nickname as “the phar- more,” said Leena Menghaney, who runs When Loon Gangte, a Delhi-based A US State Department official referred queries on the visa macy to the developing world” for its Medecins Sans Frontieres’ Access HIV activist was diagnosed with the virus issue to the Indian government, but highlighted remarks tough stance on patents. Successive Campaign in India, which works to in 1997, the price of treatment was far by President Barack Obama on a visit to Delhi last year, in governments have taken a view that broaden access to drugs. “All kinds of beyond his reach. But the advent of which he made a plea for freedom of religion in a country patents should be granted only for major people and patients across the world are generic Indian anti-retrovirals saved his with a history of strife between Hindus and minorities. innovations, not updates to existing starting to access medicines from India. life - and made the country a global cen- In its 2015 report, the bipartisan USCIRF said incidents compounds - allowing domestic manu- They travel themselves, or they contact a tre for cheap, lifesaving HIV drugs. of religiously motivated and communal violence had facturers to make generic versions of friend,” she said. Gangte is open about carrying medicines reportedly increased for three consecutive years. It said drugs at vastly lower cost. Sovaldi, chem- More than 130 million people live overseas for others and says in a decade that despite its status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, ically known as sofosbuvir, is made by US with chronic Hepatitis C worldwide, he has been stopped just once, at Thai India had long struggled to protect minority religious pharmaceutical giant Gilead and costs according to the World Health customs, and fined. Most countries allow communities or provide justice when crimes occur, creat- $84,000 for a 12-week cycle of treatment Organization, and 500,000 die each year patients to import small amounts of ing a climate of impunity. — Reuters in the United States. from related liver diseases. Since writing medicines only for personal use. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Kim orders nuclear arsenal on ‘standby’

SEOUL: Leader Kim Jong-Un has ordered ‘Stern Punishment’ North Korea’s nuclear arsenal to be readied for In Seoul, President Park Geun-Hye prom- pre-emptive use at any time, in an expected ised South Korea would mete out “stern pun- escalation of military rhetoric following the UN ishment” in the event of any North Korea Security Council’s adoption of tough new provocation as she warned of a “fiercer” sanctions on Pyongyang. The North’s nuclear backlash than usual from Pyongyang over warheads must be deployed “on standby so as the latest UN sanctions. According to KCNA, to be fired at any moment,” Kim was quoted as Kim made his comments while monitoring saying by the North’s official KCNA news the test firing of a new, high-calibre multiple agency yesterday. rocket launcher on Thursday, just hours after He also warned that the situation on the the UN Security Council unanimously adopt- divided Korean peninsula had become so dan- ed the US-drafted resolution penalizing the gerous that the North needed to shift its mili- North for its fourth nuclear test in January tary strategy to one of “pre-emptive attack”. and long-range rocket launch last month. Such bellicose rhetoric is almost routine for South Korea’s defence ministry said the North Korea at times of elevated tensions. North had fired half a dozen rockets about While the North is known to have a small 100-150 km into the sea off its eastern coast stockpile of nuclear warheads, experts are on Thursday. In a clear threat to the neigh- divided about its ability to mount them on a boring South, Kim said the new rocket working missile delivery system. Washington launcher should be “promptly deployed” downplayed Kim’s threat as posturing. “We along with other “recently developed” North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspects the test-firing of a new-type large-caliber have not seen North Korea test or demon- weaponry. In the wake of the “gangster-like” multiple launch rocket system at an undisclosed location. — AFP strate the ability to miniaturize a nuclear UN resolution pushed by the United States The Security Council resolution adopted ic pressure on Kim’s regime. It breaks new weapon and put it on an ICBM (intercontinen- and its South Korean ally, North Koreans are late Wednesday laid out the toughest sanc- ground by sanctioning specific sectors key to tal ballistic missile),” a US defense official told now “waiting for an order of combat to anni- tions imposed on Pyongyang to date over its the North Korean economy and seeking to AFP. Still, the official added, “our forces are hilate the enemy with their surging wrath”, nuclear weapons program and will, if imple- undermine the North’s use of, and access to, ready to counter-eliminate strikes if necessary”. he added. mented effectively, apply significant econom- international transport systems. — AFP ‘Missing’ bookseller Mahathir joins with old back in Hong Kong HONG KONG: One of five “missing” Hong Kong booksellers enemies to push out PM who was detained on the mainland returned to the city yester- day and met police, the government said, in a case that has pro- voked fears of increasing Chinese interference in the semi- autonomous region. Lui Por, who has been missing since Move brings together Mahathir and Anwar October, was among three of the booksellers who Hong Kong KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian leader police said earlier this week would be released on bail. “Police Mahathir Mohamad yesterday joined hands met with Lui Por, who returned to Hong Kong from the main- with long-standing foes, including the party land, this morning,” a brief government statement released late of the jailed Anwar Ibrahim, to crank up pres- yesterday said. sure on scandal-plagued Prime Minister Najib “Lui requested to have his missing persons case closed and Razak to quit, marking a seismic political shift. expressed that there was no need for assistance from the Hong In a dramatic flourish, Mahathir read a state- Kong government or police,” it said, adding he refused to pro- ment signed by 58 politicians and anti-cor- vide any more information. Hong Kong police had said that Lui ruption activists at a news conference where and his counterparts Cheung Chi Ping and Lam Wing Kee he was flanked by opposition leaders and would all be released on bail. However, police yesterday were some members of the ruling party he has not able to immediately provide information about Lam and now quit. Cheung when contacted by AFP. “We call upon all Malaysians, irrespec- An unnamed source quoted by the South China Morning tive of race, political affiliation, creed or Post said Lui was not handed over to the city’s police by main- parties, young and old, to join us in saving land authorities. Instead, Hong Kong police were sent to meet Malaysia from the government headed by Lui at his Hong Kong home, according to the newspaper. “He Najib Razak,” the statement said. One of told officers that he was safe and he did not need any assistance those beside Mahathir was a close aide of KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks from the police,” the source said. Meanwhile, pro-democracy his former protege, opposition leader during a press conference with members of the opposition yesterday. — AFP Anwar, with whom he fell out when he was lawmaker Albert Ho said Lui “must be very scared” to say he A government spokesman criticized the leader, was once Najib’s patron but has prime minister in the late 1990s. Anwar wanted to drop his case. “It’s just to show the mainland authori- move by Mahathir and his former enemies, become his fiercest critic and, because of his issued a statement from prison a day earli- ties that he will keep quiet,” Ho told AFP. saying it “demonstrated the depth of their enduring popularity, a thorn in the side of the er, saying he would “support the position” political opportunism and desperation”. prime minister. Last week, he quit the United of those in civil society, political parties and Tearful Confessions “There is an existing mechanism to change Malays National Organisation, which has led individuals, including Mahathir, in the push The five booksellers from Hong Kong’s Mighty Current pub- the government and prime minister. It’s every ruling coalition since Malaysia’s inde- to remove Najib. lishing house, known for its salacious titles critical of Beijing, called a general election,” the spokesman pendence in 1957, saying it had become Besides demanding the resignation of the went missing last year, only to turn up in mainland China. One said. “And it is the only mechanism that is Najib’s party and he did not want to be asso- prime minister, the so-called “core” group who apparently disappeared from Hong Kong, Lee Bo, lawful, democratic and fulfils the people’s ciated with corruption. demanded the removal of those who had appeared on television on Monday and insisted he had not will.” Najib has faced sustained pressure to Also at yesterday’s news conference was covered up misdeeds, the repeal of laws that been abducted by mainland authorities. In the Phoenix TV inter- resign since the middle of last year over alle- Muhyiddin Yassin, who was sacked as deputy violate fundamental rights and the restora- view, Lee said he had “resorted to illegal immigration” to get to gations of corruption linked to the debt- prime minister last year after he openly ques- tion of institutions it said had been under- the mainland as he did not want to draw attention to his visit laden state fund 1Malaysia Development tioned Najib on the 1MDB scandal. Another mined, including the police and anti-graft and that he made the trip so he could cooperate in an investiga- Berhad (1MDB), and deposits into his private was Lim Kit Siang, an opposition leader and agency. The rainbow alliance had come tion. accounts worth around $680 million. longtime nemesis of Mahathir. Most striking together under Mahathir because its mem- He has denied any wrongdoing, main- was the attendance of Mohamed Azmin Ali, a The other four booksellers, who are under criminal investiga- bers were not powerful individually to loosen tains that he did not use the funds for per- right-hand man of Anwar, whom Mahathir tion on the mainland, also appeared on Phoenix Sunday admit- Najib’s grip on power, said Oh Ei Sun, a senior sonal gain, and this year he was cleared of sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 and ting to smuggling illicit books into China. In their first appear- fellow of the S Rajaratnam School of any criminal offence or corruption. The had jailed on sodomy charges that many ance since they were detained, Cheung, Lui and Lam blamed International Studies in Singapore. “Dr 1MDB scandal has fuelled a sense of crisis in a observers said were politically motivated. A the company’s illegal book trade on colleague Gui Minhai in Mahathir is pulling together everybody with country under economic strain from slump- year ago, Anwar was jailed again on sodomy their interviews. Gui, a Swedish citizen who was among the five the lowest common denominator - dislike of ing oil prices and a prolonged slide in its cur- charges he said were concocted by Najib’s missing, confessed he had “explored ways to circumvent official Najib, as he did not succeed in earlier rency last year. government to eliminate the threat he posed inspections in China”, in the interview Sunday. — AFP attempts to topple Najib,” he said. Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest-serving to its hold on power. — Reuters On Wall St, fears of Airbus touts 400-seat Samsonite to buy US luxury Businessa Trump presidency 16 ‘A350-8000’ jetliner 17bag maker Tumi for $1.8bn 18 SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Cyclone tears at Fiji’s economy 19

NEW YORK: A “Help Wanted” sign hangs in a store window in New York. US employers added a robust 242,000 workers in February 2016 as retailers, restaurants and health care providers drove another solid month for the resilient American job market. — AP US trade gap widens to $45.7 billion Employers add 242,000 jobs; rate holds at low 4.9%

WASHINGTON: The US trade deficit rose in Jobs growth ahead even though the stock market has turned liftoff in incomes has yet to be achieved. January as American exports fell for a fourth US employers added a robust 242,000 workers turbulent, oil prices have hurt energy industry But Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at straight month, the Commerce Department in February as retailers, restaurants and health jobs and a stronger dollar has reduced export Pantheon Macroeconomics, noted that wages said yesterday. care providers drove another solid month for the sales. may have fallen because the survey for the jobs The gap between exports and imports resilient American job market. The unemploy- Retailers added 54,900 jobs last month. report occurred before Feb. 15, which is payday climbed to $45.7 billion in January from a ment rate held steady at a low 4.9 percent. The Restaurants and bars added 40,200, the health for people who are paid semimonthly. Still, the revised $44.7 billion in December. Exports of Labor Department yesterday also revised up its care sector 38,100. Hiring by construction compa- hiring has translated into more consumer spend- goods and services fell 2.1 percent in January to estimates of job growth in December and nies, retailers and health care providers has offset ing in several key sectors. Auto sales rose 7 per- $176.5 billion, lowest since June 2011. Exports January by a combined 30,000. Over the past layoffs at manufacturers and fossil fuel compa- cent over last February to 1.3 million vehicles, of industrial equipment and supplies were three months, employers have added a strong nies - two sectors squeezed by the pressures of according to Autodata Corp. down. American exporters have been hurt by 228,000 jobs. The gains show that the US econo- uncertainty in China, sluggishness in Europe, Purchases of existing homes rose 0.4 percent weakness around the world and by a strong my has weathered a global economic slowdown declining oil prices and a stronger dollar. Job loss- last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of dollar that makes US products more expensive and falling financial markets without suffering es for the mining sector - an area that includes 5.47 million, according to the National overseas. much blowback. The improvement will help ease the battered energy industry - have totaled Association of Realtors. That improvement fol- The high dollar should be helping imports by fears that arose in recent weeks that a new US 140,400 in the past 12 months. And manufactur- lowed a solid 2015, when sales achieved their making them cheaper in America. But imports recession might be looming. ing has added just 12,000 jobs over that time. highest level in nine years. And spending at slid 1.3 percent $222.1 billion in January, lowest Yesterday’s jobs report is sure to be closely Consumers have provided the foundation for restaurants has risen 6.1 percent over the past 12 since April 2011. Lower oil prices explain part of monitored by the Federal Reserve and presiden- much of the job market’s improvement in what’s months. Still, troubles abroad have tempered US the drop. Petroleum imports of $11.2 billion tial candidates as a gauge of how well the econo- become something of a self-sustaining cycle. economic growth. China, the world’s second- were the lowest since November 2003. But my is extending its 61/2-year rebound from the More than 2.7 million workers hired over the past largest economy, is struggling with high January imports of autos and auto parts hit a Great Recession. “Neither global headwinds, 12 months have bolstered spending on autos, corporate debts and slower growth. Oil prices record $30.6 billion. The deficit in the trade of financial turbulence nor political uncertainty has housing and meals out. With unemployment have tumbled amid relatively low demand. The goods with China rose to $31.1 billion in January dimmed American business’ enthusiasm for hir- remaining low, economists say more companies strong dollar has crushed exports, while the from $29.7 billion. The goods gap with the ing,” said Sal Guatieri, a senior economist at BMO should begin to raise pay to attract workers, stock market has dropped in an extended bout European Union dropped to $12.6 billion from Capital Markets. “The solid jobs report should thereby fueling more hiring and increasing peo- of volatility this year. The Fed is looking for fur- $13.3 billion in December. Increasing trade allay recession fears.” ple’s ability to spend, invest and save. ther wage growth. The central bank is consid- deficits drag down US gross domestic product - Worker pay did slip last month after having One of the lingering weaknesses of the recov- ering whether to raise interest rates again in the broadest measure of economic output. Last picked up in January. But more Americans who ery has been tepid pay growth. Over the past 12 the face of global risks that could imperil year, the gap between exports and imports had been sitting on the sidelines began searching months, average hourly earnings have risen 2.2 broader economic growth. In December, the shaved more than 0.6 percentage points off for jobs last month and found them. Employers percent. Earnings actually fell slightly between Fed raised rates from record lows - its first annual GDP growth of 2.4 percent. expect solid consumer demand in the months January and February in a sign that an expected increase in nearly a decade. —AP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Iraq to pay $2bn in arrears to foreign firms

BAGHDAD: Iraq will pay foreign oil compa- developing its fields to crude prices. ExxonMobil and other energy companies Nema also said Iraq was working with nies about $2 billion in remaining arrears “The new amended agreement will could be reached by the end of the year BP to upgrade an old water injection facility for 2015 this April and expects to reach an help to prevent inflating production costs over investing in a project to boost output in Garmat Ali, north of Basra, to provide oil- agreement over contracts by half-way and getting Iraq in debt,” Fayadh Al-Nema from its smaller southern oilfields. fields of Rumaila and Zubair with water through the year, the deputy oil minister who is in charge of upstream operations The multi-billion dollar “Integrated needed to boost output. The project is cur- said. International firms such as BP, Royal told Reuters in an interview in the southern South Project” consists of building oil rently pumping more than 1 million barrels Dutch Shell , ExxonMobil, Eni and Lukoil oil city of Basra. pipelines, storage facilities and a seawater of water per day, with plans to increase out- operate in the southern oilfields under Nema said one way of reducing compa- supply project to inject water from the Gulf put to 3 million. Iraq is in talks with foreign service contracts, whereby they are paid a nies’ costs was to hand drilling operations to maintain pressure and enhance oil engineering companies to build a new fixed dollar fee for additional volumes pro- over to Iraq’s state-run drilling firm, or to recovery. onshore oil port to expand the country’s duced. replace foreign workers with locals. Iraq’s Investing companies will help raise pro- export capacity. The new port will have an Those agreements have put Baghdad’s output rise in 2016 will be “very modest”, duction from the Artawi and Nahr Bin Umar export capacity of 2.5 million barrels per coffers under immense strain as govern- Nema forecast, due to the shrinking invest- oilfields and build energy infrastructure. day. “We have picked the ideal location for ment revenues plunge due to slumping oil ment budgets of foreign contractors, which Revenues from rising output from the two the new oil port that will ensure we have all prices and Iraq is in talks with foreign com- are affected by the drop in oil prices. oilfields will be used to repay investors, the flexibility needed in shipping additional panies to link the fees they receive for Nema said a deal with PetroChina, Nema said. oil,” Nema said. — Reuters

On Wall St, fears of a Trump presidency LSE Group logs surging

NEW YORK: At first glance, Donald profits amid merger Trump is everything Wall Street likes-a billionaire whose real estate empire has LONDON: London Stock Exchange Group yesterday post- provided huge business for banks, and ed surging 2015 net profits, and repeated its support for a whose luxury towers house the rich and merger with Deutsche Boerse amid interest from US giant famous. Intercontinental Exchange. But his surprise success in the fight to Earnings after taxation soared almost 167 percent to win the Republican nomination for the £328 million ($462 million, 425 million euros) last year US presidency has sent a chill over the compared with its performance in 2014, LSEG said in a heart of American capitalism. results statement. The list of fears runs long: a president The company, which runs the London and Milan Trump could launch a trade war with exchanges, added that revenues jumped almost 50 per- China; he could increase taxes on the cent to £1.325 billion. Operating profit meanwhile rallied rich; he could interfere with the Federal 73 percent to £404 million. Reserve over monetary policy; the White “The group has produced another strong financial per- House’s relations with Congress could formance and continues to make excellent progress exe- break down completely. “He scares the cuting our strategy to be a leader in global markets infra- markets. He is a big uncertainty,” said structure,” said chief executive Xavier Rolet. Last week, the Greg Valliere, chief strategist for Horizon LSEG had revealed it was in merger talks with Deutsche Investments. “The market does not like Boerse, which manages the Frankfurt stock exchange. uncertainty.” “We have recently confirmed that we are in detailed Businesses are disconcerted by the discussions with Deutsche Boerse regarding a potential off-the-cuff comments Trump renders NEW YORK: New York Stock Exchange. Donald Trump’s surprise success in the merger of equals,” added Frenchman Rolet. “This repre- about crucial business and economic fight to win the Republican nomination for the US presidency has sent a chill sents a compelling opportunity to strengthen each other issues almost daily since hitting the cam- over the heart of American capitalism. — AP in an industry-defining combination, by creating a global paign trail last year. market infrastructure group with significant benefits for lot of uninformed people.” Former White of Mr Trump with his finger on the but- On one side, he has denounced huge our customers and shareholders.” House nominee Mitt Romney, who ran ton blows my mind,” he said. salaries for chief executives, the greed of Deutsche Boerse now has until March 22 to launch a the prominent investment house Bain But most bankers contacted by AFP bankers and tax advantages that benefit formal offer, pending shareholder approval and the green Capital before entering politics, gave would not speak openly about their dis- wealthy Wall Street fund managers. He light from regulators. However on Tuesday, global mar- voice to the finance community’s wor- dain for Trump, worried about possible has menaced the huge population of kets operator Intercontinental Exchange revealed that it ries Thursday, warning that under Trump reprisals. undocumented immigrants that effec- was mulling an offer, raising the prospect of a bidding “the country would sink into a pro- “He is crazy, he has crazy policies,” tively keeps up the supply of low-wage war. If the merger goes ahead, Deutsche Boerse share- longed recession.” “A business genius he one prominent banker said. “He does workers for US businesses. He attacks holders would have the upper hand with 54.4 percent of is not.”Perry pointed to one of Trump’s not know how to run a business,” anoth- the new holding company’s capital, with LSEG investors China and Japan for manipulating their more obvious “hypocrisies”-having his er said. “How can he run a country?” currencies for trade advantage and having 45.6 percent. own Donald J. Trump brand menswear Still, even as he weathered four cor- Both the London and Frankfurt financial markets threatens to start a trade war with China. collection manufactured in China even porate bankruptcies, Trump has At the same time, he has declared his would continue doing business under their respective while blasting that country for cheap amassed a fortune mainly in real estate current brand names. — Reuters opposition to two huge free-trade labor. estimated at $4.5 billion. “We sometimes accords spanning the Pacific and Atlantic Chris Low, chief economist at FTN forget that underneath all the things oceans. Financial, said some of his clients appre- that he does-the talking, the hair, the TV He has even leveled attacks at the ciate Trump’s position on cutting corpo- shows-he does know how to build, and titans of US businesses such as Ford and rate taxes. But they also fear he could he does know how to do that in an Apple because they manufacture out- spark a trade war with China that could extremely efficient and economical side the country as well as inside. But on harm US businesses. way,” said Gwenda Blair, author of “The the other hand, Trump courts US indus- “We live in a globally connected Trumps,” a book about the tycoon and try leaders with promises of business tax economy,” Low said. So far, however, his family. cuts. He also praises the skills of fellow markets have not reacted to Trump’s Whatever it feels, Wall Street doesn’t billionaire Carl Icahn, one of Wall Street’s strong lead in the Republican White have a clear alternative, with polls show- most successful activist investors, who House race. Fund managers remain ing Trump’s top Republican rivals, stands out as one of Trump’s few vocal uncertain about his chances against the Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, backers on Wall Street. likely Democratic nominee, former secre- both too weak to overcome his lead in tary of state Hillary Clinton, Low said. the primary race. ‘Mixed bag’ platform “Trump’s success moving forward is Some in the traditionally heavily “He doesn’t fit into any particular eco- likely to bring increased volatility,” David Republican finance community are pre- nomic mold, he’s not a traditional con- Lafferty of Natixis Global Asset pared to turn their support to Democrat LONDON: The central atrium is pictured inside the servative like Ronald Reagan,” said Mark Management predicted. Hillary Clinton in the November election, London Stock Exchange in central London yesterday. Perry of the American Enterprise Among bankers, the sentiment is if the other choice is Trump. London Stock Exchange Group posted surging 2015 Institute, a conservative think tank. generally anti-Trump. Goldman Sachs “The market is nervous about him,” net profits, and repeated its support for a merger with “His platform is really kind of a mixed chief Lloyd Blankfein last September Valliere said. Clinton is “the devil you Deutsche Boerse amid interest from US giant bag of populist and isolationist types of pointed to the US president’s power to know,” he added. “The market will live Intercontinental Exchange. — AFP policies that, he knows, will appeal to a unleash a nuclear weapon. “The image with her.” — AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

IMF asks EU to be ‘realistic’ about Greece bailout plan

WASHINGTON: The IMF called on the European Union to be more “realistic” about what Greece must do to obtain further aid under an EU bailout program agreed in July. For several months, EU officials and the IMF have held difficult discussions on the measures Athens should take to improve the finances of the debt-ridden eurozone country, reeling from nearly six years of recession. An informal meeting Wednesday in Brussels between representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the EU’s European Commission, the European Central Bank and the European Stability Mechanism made “good progress,” people on both sides said. But the IMF, which has yet to decide whether to participate in the third bailout program for Greece since 2010, sounded its recurring theme Thursday on the question of the viability of the Greek economic program. “We try to provide the realistic analy- sis... that’s our job to be realistic,” said IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said, in the face of accusations by Greek authorities that the Fund is blocking progress on unlocking funds from the EU bailout. “Although we are very close to the positions of the three European institutions, the IMF is maintaining a very hard position” that is “incomprehensible,” Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos said Thursday. “It’s not right to characterize the IMF as tough or blocking,” Rice said at a media briefing in Washington. At issue is how Greece can reach the budget targets set last July in exchange for 86 billion euros ($94.2 billion) in EU financial aid. The targets, aimed at reaching a primary budget surplus of 3.5 TIANJIN: Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Fabrice Bregier speaks during the ground breaking ceremony for percent of gross domestic product in two years, are “very ambi- the Airbus A330 Completion and Delivery Center in north China’s Tianjin Municipality. — AP tious” and, above all, “had never been quantified nor specified,” the IMF spokesman said. The 188-nation IMF, champion of ortho- dox fiscal policies, does not want to alter those targets but the Airbus touts 400-seat program “needs to add up” and allow Greece to reduce debt to sustainable levels, Rice said. Currently the debt load is nearly 180 percent of GDP. — AFP

‘A350-8000’ jetliner Strong US payrolls report

PHOENIX: Airbus is seeking airline support 2006 to compete with Boeing’s mid-sized A350-1000, the person briefed on the plans boosts dollar, stocks for a new 400-seat jetliner provisionally 787 Dreamliner and the larger 777. Boeing said. However it would sacrifice some range dubbed the A350-8000 as competition responded to the all-new jet by upgrading compared with the 8,000-mile A350-1000. LONDON: The US dollar rose along with stocks yesterday after data escalates with Boeing over the world’s its existing 777 series to include the 777-9, Airbus says it has not made a final decision showed the labor market in the United States was in good shape, fan- largest two-engined jets, airline and avia- which has outsold the A350-1000 by about on whether to launch a new A350 and will ning expectations the Federal Reserve will gradually raise interest tion industry sources said. After talking up 40 percent but has entered a lean period. provide an update at the Farnborough rates this year. the possibility of a new member of its A350 Boeing has disclosed 306 sales of 777-9s Airshow in July. European and US stock markets headed for their third week of family, the European planemaker has and a similar variant, while Airbus has sold Meanwhile, it has been weighing up gains, with the FTSEurofirst up 1 percent and futures prices predict- swung into an active pre-marketing phase 181 of its A350-1000s. what to call the new member off the A350 ing a 0.5. to 0.7 percent advance when trading starts in New York. as it responds to a recent upgrade in the “It is clearly an airplane that is on its own XWB family, reflecting deeper decisions on Data from the US Labor Department showed nonfarm payrolls competing Boeing 777. in the marketplace and the airplane is sell- market positioning that can affect billions grew by 242,000 jobs last month, beating forecasts for 190,000 new While Boeing has scored successes in ing very well,” Boeing marketing chief of dollars in sales. jobs. The unemployment rate held at an eight-year low of 4.9 per- the Gulf with its biggest ever twin-engined Randy Tinseth told the Istat Americas air It needs to strike a balance between cent, even though more people entered the job market. jet, the 406-seat 777-9, Airbus is expected finance conference, referring to the latest protecting sales of the A350-1000, by The data also showed the US added 30,000 more jobs in to aim its design at airlines that do not 777 model. emphasizing differences without weaken- December and January than previously reported. The only blemish in always require the performance needed for ing its long-held mantra of commonality the report was a three-cent drop in average hourly earnings, but that extreme Gulf conditions. KEY DECISIONS between related aircraft. was mostly because of a calendar quirk. “Labor market conditions are “It would have similar capacity and The new, bigger A350 would use a Until now, the possible new model was improving, but it’s really a mixed bag and should easily keep the Fed range (as the 777-9) and substantially lower derivative of the latest Rolls-Royce Trent widely known in the industry as the A350- on pause. They’ll pause, but not stop, and the difference is important. seat-mile costs,” Airbus sales chief John XWB planned for the A350-1000. One per- 1100, continuing a sequence from the 276- I still think we could see a hike in June, but not before then,” said Leahy said in an interview. “We are showing son briefed on the plans said it would boost seat A350-800 to the 315-seat A350-900 Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds it to airlines right now.” thrust from the current 97,000 pounds to and 366-seat A350-1000. Management. The project is the latest move in a game just over 100,000 pounds. Now, sources say it is being pre-market- The dollar rose 0.3 percent against a basket of major currencies as of leapfrog played by Airbus and Boeing Airbus believes this would compete well ed with a surprise new identity, the A350- the euro fell back to $1.0940. The dollar was also up against the yen at over the past decade in the market for big for the majority of airline needs and head 8000, though a final decision has yet to be 114.02 yen. — Reuters twinjets, valued at about $1.9 trillion over off further 777-9 sales. But some analysts taken. An earlier working title was A350- 20 years. said a key to the project would be how easi- 1000 XL. It marks a shift in priorities after the oil ly Rolls-Royce could expand a full slate of Leahy confirmed that Airbus was reluc- price collapse eased pressure on Airbus to projects as it strives to cut costs, even if tant to ratify the industry’s nickname of upgrade its larger four-engined A380, out- leaving the Gulf business to Boeing. A350-1100 but declined to give details. put of which is declining because of slow “This sounds like they are making a “You don’t want it so close to the 1000 sales. virtue of its lack of hot-and-high perform- that it is an either-or decision. You have the Two airlines whose feedback could be ance compared to 777-9 when maybe it’s 1000 and another airplane, with equal gaps decisive in whether Airbus launches the the case that Rolls can’t afford, or doesn’t of 40 seats between the 900 and 1000 new jet are Singapore Airlines and British want to, do a much bigger and substantial- (models), and then whatever this Airways. Singapore took delivery of its first ly new engine,” said Nick Cunningham of becomes.” Eight is a number widely used smaller A350-900 model this week and has UK-based Agency Partners. by planemakers and is seen as a symbol of long been weighing up the 777-9, while One engine expert estimated the success in a key battleground for sales: Asia. putting pressure on Airbus to offer it a upgrade could cost half a billion dollars and “Eight is a very nice number out in choice. require a bigger fan and new materials. Asia, but we are not going to comment Both airlines declined to comment. Rolls-Royce was not immediately avail- until we launch the program,” Leahy said. Airbus planemaking president Fabrice able for comment. To give the new A350 Airbus will however be hoping not to Bregier was visiting Singapore on Thursday, more capacity and compete with the 777-9 repeat the omen of the previous model to TOKYO: A passer-by is reflected on an electronic board of where a spokesman declined to comment. on long trips, Airbus would boost the maxi- carry the -8000 model number: a VIP ver- a securities firm in Tokyo yesterday. Asian shares were The A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) family mum take-off weight to just over 319 tons, sion of its A340, only one of which was mixed in cautious trading yesterday as investors awaited was launched after a string of setbacks in compared with 308 tons on the Airbus ever built. — Reuters the release of US non-farm payroll data. — AP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Zimbabwe govt to take over all diamond mines

HARARE: Zimbabwean President see or hear what was going on and lots joint ventures with Chinese companies The army cleared the area in late Robert Mugabe has announced that of swindling, smuggling have taken mining in the Marange district, to join a 2008, when rights groups said more the government will take over all the place and the companies that have government conglomerate. than 200 people were killed. country’s diamond mines to stop for- been mining virtually robbed us of our The country’s diamond industry has The government in Harare pinned eign firms from syphoning off gems wealth. “We have decided that this area been tainted by allegations of rights its hopes on the diamond industry to without declaring them. should be a monopoly area and only abuses including the killing and torture shore up the moribund economy, but “We have not received much (mon- the state should be able to do mining.” of workers. Reports of abuse led to an with little success. Zimbabwe, which ey) from the diamond industry at all,” Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa international ban of gem exports from earns most of its foreign exchange Mugabe said in a two-hour interview last month announced the govern- Marange between 2009 and 2011. through mining, saw diamond produc- screened late Thursday by state broad- ment had seized diamond mines in the Diamonds were discovered in Marange tion fall to 420,000 carats in the first five caster Zimbabwe Broadcasting eastern Chiadzwa district after their in 2006, drawing thousands of small- months of 2015 from 660,000 carats a Corporation. licences expired.Zimbabwe last year time miners hoping to make a quick year earlier, according to Bloomberg “Our people... have not been able to ordered diamond mines, including fortune. News. — AFP

Latvia cracks down on money laundering amid OECD concerns

RIGA: Latvia’s financial regulator yesterday said it had shut down a bank catering mainly to non-resident clients from the former Soviet Union due to its involvement in money laundering. With the OECD expected to grant Latvia membership later this year, the organization has demanded the Baltic eurozone member crack down on graft in its banking sector. The head of Latvia’s FKTK financial regulator Peters Putnins said yesterday that his organization pulled the plug on the Trasta Komercbanka due to “breaches of anti-money-laundering regula- tions”, among other failures. He also insisted that the bank was not “systemically important” and so would have no knock-on effect on the rest of the banking sector which sells itself as a gateway to both the European Union and the eurozone. Latvia’s Finance Minister Dana Reizniece-Ozola said yesterday in Riga that she hoped the case would “serve as an example to any other banks that may still be considering whether to work on the edge of the law.” Half of Latvia’s 26 registered commercial banks cater to foreigners, with the vast majority of those clients coming from Russia and other countries from the former Soviet Union. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in an October report said that “non-resident deposits” (NRDs) are subject to weak financial regulation and pal- HONG KONG: An employee (back left) arranges suitcases at a shop for luggage giant Samsonite in Hong Kong try penalties. yesterday. Samsonite said it would buy US luxury bag maker Tumi in a deal worth $1.8 billion. — AFP Latvian ‘boutique banks’ have featured in a series of money- laundering scandals including the notorious Magnitsky case in Samsonite to buy US luxury Russia and the theft of one billion dollars from Moldova’s state coffers. “Latvia is joining the OECD and we have to follow the rules-but this (Trasta Komercbanka closure) is not for the OECD’s sake, it’s for our own sake,” Putnins told AFP. “Non-resident banks bag maker Tumi for $1.8bn have their place if they are properly regulated. We are interested in doing business, but we are not interested in dirty money and Foothold in high-end Chinese market seen the proceeds of crime.” — AFP

HONG KONG: Luggage giant Samsonite Simsen, told AFP. affected because of austerity in China, said yesterday it would buy US luxury “Chinese people love to buy but that doesn’t take away from the Nigeria to break state oil bag maker Tumi in a deal worth $1.8 bil- Samsonite. However in the last few whole story of Tumi, there’s great lion that analysts said would give the years they have been buying extremely opportunity there,” Tainwala told firm into 30 companies firm a foothold in the lucrative Chinese luxurious suitcases, and that’s why they Bloomberg News. high-end market. are trying to go upscale.” The luxury brand, which sells bags for ABUJA: Nigeria is to break up its state oil firm into 30 sepa- In a statement to the Hong Kong as much as $1,300, has more than 170 rate companies as it seeks to reform the corruption-ridden, exchange, where it listed five years ago, ‘Shopping spree’ stores worldwide with plans to open up under-performing giant, the junior oil minister said Samsonite said it would pay $26.75 a Numerous western brands in recent to 20 more this year, according to Thursday. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation share for the firm-a third more than its years have been setting up shop in Bloomberg. Financial analyst Dickie (NNPC) is notoriously opaque and has been accused of with- value on Wednesday before the likely China, which is widely considered the Wong said Samsonite made the right holding billions of dollars in government revenue, prompt- buyout was sounded. world’s biggest luxury market, as a bur- decision, despite slowing growth in ing calls for an overhaul. Samsonite, which saw its shares geoning middle class drives a shopping China. Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer, accounting for a bounce more than three percent to frenzy. “The Chinese economy is definitely daily output of two million barrels, but most of its inhabi- HK$24.45 ($3.15) in afternoon trade fol- France’s Hermes-known for its luxury slowing down and the (tourism) market tants are poor. The country imports most of its petrol lowing the announcement, said Tumi handbags-opened a four-storey flagship is not growing as fast as it was couple of because of a lack of domestic refining capacity. “For the first was a “perfect strategic fit” for its busi- store in China’s commercial capital years ago, but on the other hand, the US time, we are unbundling the subset of the NNPC to 30 inde- ness. Shanghai in 2014. US-based Samsonite market is doing very well,” Wong, execu- pendent companies with their own managing directors,” “This is a transformational acquisition raised $1.25 billion in an initial public tive director of research for Kingston Ibe Kachikwu, who also heads the NNPC, said in a state- for Samsonite. It will meaningfully offering in Hong Kong in June 2011, one Securities, told AFP. ment. “Titles like group executive directors are going to dis- expand our presence in the highly of several Western brands-including Samsonite is planning to double appear and in their place you are going to have chief execu- attractive premium segment of the Prada and Esprit-seeking to use the city annual sales to $4.7 billion by the end of tive officers and they are going to take responsibilities for global business bags,” Samsonite chief to boost their presence in fast-growing 2020 and has announced nine acquisi- their titles,” he said. executive officer Ramesh Tainwala said Asian markets, particularly China. tions since 2012. In 2014, the firm “At the end of the day, the CEO of an upstream company in a separate statement. But the world’s second-largest econ- bought backpack-maker Gregory must deliver an upstream result.” Thanks to reforms already Financial analyst Jackson Wong at omy expanded 6.9 percent in 2015, the Mountain Products for $85 million and under way at the NNPC, the company should start making a brokerage firm Simsen Financial group worst performance in a quarter century in 2012 it acquired high-end luggage profit by the end of the year, he said. Oil accounts for 90 told AFP the purchase was a “good and a far cry from the years of double- brand Hartmann for $35 million. percent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and 70 per- move”. “Tumi is a premium brand digit increases. “They want spend money to increase cent of government revenue. But the plunge in global oil name... higher end names would The country’s luxury market also took their market share, that’s why they are prices since mid-2014 has significantly hurt government enhance their brand image,” Wong, a hit from a years-long corruption crack- on a shopping spree,” said analyst revenue and public spending. — AFP associate director of brokerage firm down. “The luxury segment has been Francis Lun of Geo Securities. — AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Slovakia’s economy stands out, but public services lag behind

BRATISLAVA: Slovakia stands out in central Europe, as a euro zone member that has reformed its economy, kept its national debt low and attracted international investors. But when pen- sioner Kornel Klatt went into a hospital in Bratislava for surgery, he took his own toilet paper. Slovakia’s growth has not trickled down to health and edu- cation, tarnishing Prime Minister Robert Fico’s credentials as he heads into an election today. Although his Smer party is expect- ed to win, it is likely to lose its absolute majority. Fico has bol- stered his ratings with a vocal stance against immigration, but his popularity has fallen in the final weeks of the campaign. Teachers and nurses have staged rare protests for higher wages and more spending on schooling and health. “I received good medical care, but the building was old, the beds uncomfortable and patients had to bring cutlery and toilet paper,” said Klatt, 72, who had hip surgery in December. When Slovakia broke off from the Czech Republic in 1993, it was much the poorer of the two, with defunct arms factories and an auto- cratic prime minister who preferred ties with Russia to conver- gence with the European Union and scared away investors. That began to change in 1998, when a centre-right govern- ment took power. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2009. Gross domestic product grew to 77 percent of the EU average in 2014 from 47 percent in 1995, and Fico is SUVA: Sanjogeeta Kiran, right, with her sister Sulva Kiran, second left, and her children Shivendera, left, and promising to reach 85 percent in his next term. Fico won his first Raajeen, sit amid the debris of their home in RakiRaki, Fiji, after cyclone Winston ripped through the island four-year term in 2006 and second in 2012. He reversed some nation. — AP privatisations, slightly raised corporate taxes and expanded worker protection, but Slovakia remained an investor favourite. Strong growth and healthy banks have kept the budget under Cyclone tears at Fiji’s economy control and debt at half the euro zone average.

Farm, tourism sectors worst hit, experts predict rebound NOT ROSY ALL AROUND However, the average Slovak gross wage remains low by WELLINGTON: The cyclone which tore the larger economy will be major or long- said. Particularly hard-hit are the estimated European standards at 861 euros ($941.59) per month, less than through Fiji two weeks ago, killing 43 peo- lasting. That’s because, unlike Namena 200,000 people who rely on the sugar indus- its regional peers. That appeals to investors, but not to voters. ple, was so powerful that at the Namena Island, most tourist resorts were not directly try: farmers, cane-cutters, mill workers, peo- Slovak teachers, some of whom went on strike last month, Island Resort, it ripped out a commercial in the cyclone’s path and escaped major ple in related industries, and their family are paid less than those in any other country in the Organisation oven and tossed it half the length of a foot- damage. Government infrastructure in the members. Abdul Khan, the executive chair- for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to ball field. capital Suva was also spared, and aid money man of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, which OECD data. And at 10.4 percent the unemployment rate is far Manager Nigel Simpson said there’s and rebuilding work will provide economic processes all of Fiji’s sugar, said about half of above the Czech Republic’s 6.4 percent. A third of the labour almost nothing left of the small diving stimulus. this year’s crop of 1.2 million metric tons of force is out of work is some outlying regions. Fico’s government resort. The six guest houses are gone, and Home to 900,000 people, Fiji is one of the sugar cane on the main island of Viti Levu has tried to address living standards - the minimum wage has heavy equipment like generators and com- most developed Pacific island nations. Yet was destroyed, costing farmers about $23 been raised to 405 euros a month, for example. But critics say he pressors simply vanished in winds of up to the annual GDP per person is only about million. has resorted to handouts like free train rides for students and 285 kilometers (177 miles) per hour. Worst of $9,000, and about 30 percent of people live Most of the 650,000 metric tons on the pensioners rather than real reform. all, Simpson fears Cyclone Winston might in poverty. Before the cyclone, the economy island of Vanua Levu survived. The storm Fico’s first government cancelled fees for doctor visits, for have smashed up the coral reef which was growing at a healthy 4 percent annual damaged three sugar mills on Viti Levu, but example, which was popular with patients. The fees were meant attracts tourists to the island, although he’s clip. Attracted by sunny beaches and a they should be able to cope with the to limit needless consultations, though, and save money for yet to investigate underwater. The cyclone relaxed way of life, some 700,000 tourists vis- reduced harvest, which takes place from more serious treatment. Healthcare in Slovakia ranked 24th not only demolished thousands of homes, it ited last year. In the month before the May through early July, Khan said. He said among 35 European states last yeare, according to Swedish- also tore at the fabric of the South Pacific cyclone hit, tourist numbers set a new officials will distribute emergency aid for the based Health Consumer Powerhouse. nation’s economy. Apart from tourism, record for a January. Just how many tourists many farmers who will be left without an In February, the government had to call in army personnel which accounts for one-third of GDP, it also will cancel trips or elect not to go because of income this year. to secure care at one hospital after hundreds of nurses quit in wiped out a significant chunk of the sugar the cyclone remains to be seen. The winds To attract tourists back, industry leaders protest over pay. Fico’s health minister and the head of parlia- crop, another big source of foreign income. hit before the peak tourist season of June will launch some new packages next week ment resigned in 2014 after thousands of Slovaks protested in Fiji’s government has put the initial dam- through October. Caroline Currie, the that will include accommodation and flights the streets over allegations of overpriced purchases of hospital age estimate at about 1 billion Fijian dollars regional head of economics at the Asian on the national airline, Fiji Airways, said equipment, the cabinet’s biggest scandal. ($472 million), equivalent to about 10 per- Development Bank’s Fiji office, expects the Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. “I have always leaned left, admired Scandinavian countries, cent of the economy. Yet experts and offi- overall economic impact to be moderate “There’ll be some good deals for tourists,” he voted for Smer in last election - but I won’t support them this cials say that while many of Fiji’s subsistence and temporary. said. “The reality is that Fiji is quite resilient, time,” said Bohuslav Ilavsky, the headmaster of an elementary farmers and workers are facing tough times, “What’s really devastating, though, is the and those resorts that were affected will be school in Detva, a town in central Slovakia. — Reuters they don’t expect the cyclone’s impact on loss of homes and subsistence lifestyles,” she up and running soon.” — AP Serbia opens new tender for steel plant

BELGRADE: The Serbian government February last year after US Steel, which lic companies, a condition of a 1.2 billion Smederevo, whose losses in 2014 launched a new tender yesterday for its bought the bankrupt plant for 23 million euro ($1.3 billion) loan agreement with amounted to 96 million euros ($109 mil- sole steel mill which it tried to privatise dollars in 2003, pulled out in 2012 the International Monetary Fund, lion). After last year’s failed sale, man- without success in 2012 as it seeks to because of the global economic down- although it has called off the sale of one agement of the plant was entrusted to sell off a raft of public companies. turn. The government then bought the of its biggest assets, Telekom Srbija. Holland-based HPK Engineering BV with The starting price of the Zelezara plant back for the symbolic price of one The president is expected to call an the purpose of preparing it for privatiza- Smederevo plant, which lies 40 kilome- dollar, saying the move was aimed at early election Friday after the govern- tion. Zelezara Smederevo has annual tres (25 miles) east of Belgrade, is 45.6 preventing the loss of about 5,500 jobs ment said it required a clear mandate to capacity of about two million tons and million euros ($50 million), according to and keeping operations going while a carry out reforms needed to join the at its peak accounted for 14 percent of a ministry advertisement in the Politika new long-term strategic partner was European Union. Serbia’s exports. daily. sought. According to state broadcaster RTS, The deadline for the submission of Talks with US steel group Esmark Serbia’s government has expressed the government is negotiating with offers was fixed at March 30, the govern- over buying a majority stake failed in commitment to privatising a raft of pub- China’s HBIS over acquisition of Zelezara ment advertisement said. — AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Exclusive Indian property exhibition opens at Holiday Inn Salmiya

KUWAIT: The two-day Indian realty exhibition, Nagarajan, editor and publisher Priya invest or buy homes in India, this is an especially very competitive and special concession in which brings together some of the top builders Publications provided advisory services for NRIs opportune moment as property prices are cur- interest rates are being offered to women and developers from South India, opened to and a seminar was held on FDI/NRI investment rently stagnant, home loan lending rates are homebuyers. large crowds at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Salmiya in real estate. yesterday. The Government of India has considerably The premier show, which will remain open eased investment norms for real estate sector from 10am to 8pm on May 4th and 5th, was and considering several policy measures to inaugurated by Sunil Jain, Ambassador of India boost the realty sector, such as the Real Estate to Kuwait, in the presence of Vigneshkumar VP (Regulation and Development) Bill, guidelines Marketing, The New Indian Express, Mousa A for the launch of REIT units and is encouraging Al-Najadah, Asst CEO of Warba Insurance, development of infrastructure, which will give a Vikram Shekhawat, Expat Group Head, National much-needed fillip to real estate sector. Bank of Kuwait, Mohandas NC of Indian The NDA government has also recently Frontliners, Natarajan, Hotel Saravana Bhavan, approved a proposal allowing investment made Chelladurai, President Kuwait Tamil Sangam, by NRIs to be deemed as domestic investment Hirak Mukherjee, Country Head Air India, Anural, on par with resident investments. The repatria- Regional Director TCIL , Devesh Kumar, Resident tion benefits up to two residential units and Manager LIC International and Rajeev Sakhuja, annual repatriation limit up to $1 million out of Resident Manager LIC HFL. NRO account arising out of income from sale of Following the lighting of the ceremonial properties, rentals and others have made invest- lamp, Jain toured the various booths and dis- ment in real estate a lucrative option for NRIs. cussed salient features of the properties being In a further move to ease the norms, resi- showcased with the exhibitors. dents are now permitted to remit home loan Organized by the New Indian Express news- EMI on behalf of NRIs. The RBI has also clarified paper in association with LIC Housing Finance that income and sale proceeds of assets held Limited (LIC HFL), the Indian Realty Exhibition abroad by the returning NRIs need not be repa- 2016 highlighted prime properties from over triated to India and can be retained and invest- two-dozen top Indian builders and developers. ed outside India. Among the properties being displayed are luxu- Also, with the commercial property absorp- ry villas, apartments, row houses, budget homes tion increasing across metros, there will be a and developed plots, from cities such as corresponding demand for housing both for Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Hyderabad. rental and investment purposes. Experts During the two day show period, realty devel- believe that for every square meter of commer- opers are offering exclusive, one-time bargain cial property absorption in a city, it generates prices and special discounts on select proper- demand for three square meters of residential ties. property. Another aspect of the exhibition was the These positive moves by the government are highly informative realty consultancy services likely to give a much-needed boost to the realty being offered on the sidelines of the show. V. sector in the country. For people looking to SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 www.kuwaittimes.net SEE PAGE 26 Pages 28&29) her newblond locks. —AFP(See Fall-Winter showandalsoreveals Kendall JenneropenstheBalmain SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 Oscar Isaac set to take on the role of Hamlet he 36-year-old actor has taken on the iconic role Juliet, ‘We Live Here’, ‘Grace’, ‘Two Gentlemen of as the Danish prince in a Sam Gold-directed off- Verona’ and ‘Beauty of The Father’, and he also previ- TBroadway version of Shakespeare’s play, accord- ously studied at the Juilliard School for performing arts ing to the Daily Mail newspaper. He will take to the in New York. Isaac is currently in London shooting ‘Star stage at the Theatre For A New Audience venue in Wars’ Episode VIII’, in which he plays X-wing fighter Brooklyn, New York, next year with the production set pilot Poe Dameron. The sequel to ‘The Force Awakens’ to start in the Spring of 2017. However, Bruce Cohen, a is scheduled for release on December 15, 2017. He will spokesperson for the theatre says there is “no informa- next be seen playing villainous mutant Apocalypse in tion” regarding the show at present. The hunky star is superhero movie ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’, which hits cine- well versed when it comes to doing theatre work having mas in May. performed in a number of shows including ‘Romeo and Miley Cyrus has Zoe Saldana rebuffs changed her criticism about her party-loving ways appearance in ‘Nina’ he ‘Avator’ star was criticized by Nina Simone’s family, who he ‘Wrecking Ball’ singer reunited with former fiance Liam are against the biopic about the jazz singer and civil rights Hemsworth earlier this year - over three years after they Tactivist, following the release of the movie’s trailer, while Tsplit - and is keen to prove she has changed and put her many Twitter users complained about Zoe’s appearance as the wild ways behind her. A source said: “She either doesn’t answer teaser showed her sporting a prosthetic nose and a darker skin their calls or says she’s not going out. Liam never liked that she tone for the role. A friend of the actress has now spoken out, got crazy, so Miley is making big changes. She doesn’t want to insisting Zoe - whose father was from the Dominican Republic, screw it up.” Instead, the 23-year-old beauty is spending most of while her mother is from Puerto Rico - is not bothered by the her time at the ‘Hunger Games’ actor’s Malibu home, doing backlash and was expecting it because she is not African everything she can for him to be comfortable. The source told Us American. The source told the New York Post newspaper: “This Weekly magazine: “She has been cooking and cleaning for Liam, started three years ago. They actually thought the project was waiting on him hand and foot. She wants to make sure she keeps shelved, but it’s coming out and she’s proud of it. There’s always him.” Despite their problems in the past, Miley and Liam, 26, are controversy [over] ‘is she Latin or isn’t she Latin,’ so she’s used to confident their relationship will last this time around. The source that, but this is different for her.” Zoe was chosen for the role in added: “They know what they have is real. Miley needed some 2012 and she has admitted she expected her casting to cause time to grow up, but she feels ready for this now.” It was recently controversy. The 37-year-old actress previously said: “I didn’t claimed that after getting back together, the couple, who split in think I was right for the part, and I know a lot of people will agree, September 2013, are also planning to marry again, but there was but then again, I don’t think Elizabeth Taylor was right for no big proposal from Liam. A source said: “It’s true, the engage- Cleopatra either. “An artist is colorless, genderless ... It’s more ment is back on. It’s been a whirlwind but they’re both totally in complex than just, ‘Oh, you chose the Halle Berry look-alike to love with each other and decided to pick up where they left off. play a dark, strikingly beautiful, iconic black woman.’ The truth is, There was no big proposal this time, they just talked about it and they chose an artist who was willing to sacrifice herself. We need- Miley decided to put the ring back on. She’s told friends that she ed to tell her story because she deserves it.” After the trailer was feels as if she’s come full circle.” released the official Nina Simone Twitter account, which is now run by her estate, posted: “Please take Nina’s name out your mouth. For the rest of your life ... Hopefully people begin to understand this is painful. Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, nause- ating, soul-crushing. It shall pass, but for now... (sic)” Zoe has not Jennifer Lopez says she spoken out about the criticism, but her pal insists she “loves the film” ‘Nina’ is set to be released in April. gets ‘better with age’ he ‘On The Floor’ hitmaker believes she has “more to give” as she gets older. She said: “When you first Tstart in this business, you think, ‘This is going to run out’ or ‘It’s going to finish at a certain time’ or ‘If I reach a certain age I won’t be relevant.’ “I have found that I just get better and better with more experience and more life. I have more to give to what I do and that’s what I look forward to when creating this record.” The 45-year-old singer and actress has just recently resigned with record label Epic and is looking forward to the change as she believes it will be a “great starting point again”. She added to PEOPLE magazine: “I’ve had so much success over the years but this is going to be a great starting point again. It’s all about finding the right sound for me and the right songs and the right lyrics for me right now. Hopefully we’ll have new music very soon.” Meanwhile, Jennifer is reportedly incredibly excited about collaborat- ing with LA Reid again. A source said: “Jennifer and LA are longtime friends, and they love working together. She has a bunch of hits. But she’s always making music. And she’s really excited to work with LA to put new stuff out.” SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 Meghan Trainor used to pile on clothes due Charlize Theron to her being insecure won’t compromise he 22-year-old singer would even cover up in thick sweat- herself for a guy shirts in sweltering heat because she hated the thought of Tpeople seeing her body, in particular her arms. She said: “I - he 40-year-old actress who has been single since every day - wore sweatshirts and sweatpants to cover up my splitting from Sean Penn last year admits some body because I was so insecure. And it would be summer. And I Tmen are intimidated by her but she thinks their would go on vacation and I’d be in Trinidad and Tobago, 90- reactions are to do with their own “insecurities” and degree weather, and I’d be wearing sweatshirts. I didn’t want to she’d never give up on her own big dreams to make show my arms. I didn’t want to show anything, and I was just so them happier. Charlize stated: “Some [men find me insecure and uncomfortable. I thought, like, ‘All right, if I’m fully intimidating]. I’ve met all types of men in my life. What covered - I’m good.’ And that’s not what I should have been feel- I’ve found is that most men’s reactions to me are a ing. “ These days, Meghan is proud of the letters she receives reflection of their own insecurities and have nothing to from her fans who tell her how her track ‘All About That Bass’ do with me and really speak to their character and not helped with their own confidence and body image issues, and mine. I’ve never tried to appear less forceful or be less they inspire her to be a role model. She told the ‘CBS Sunday Morning’: “I get messages all the time, ‘I hated myself, I didn’t assertive in order to make a man feel more secure. I want to go to school. I was so uncomfortable, and now I love have always dreams big and wanted to make the best myself. And I was in a really dark place until your song came out.’ of my life. I never wanted to compromise; I would not And I was like, ‘Whoa, man, we’ve got to do more of these. We’ve be happy. I’ve always wanted a man who recognizes my got to do more of these songs.’ “ dreams and goals, appreciates all those aspects of my character and is confident enough in his own self not to feel threatened.” Charlize is embracing being in her 40s and the ‘Huntsman: Winter’s War’ star who has adopted Gal Gadot’s mother has been children Jackson, four, and baby August, who was born last year thinks Hollywood is finally “beginning to rec- ognize” good roles for older women. She added to HEL- a ‘major influence’ in her life LO! magazine: “I’m much happier in my 40s than I was in my 20s. As an actress, I have more opportunities than he ‘Wonder Woman’ star who hails ‘The Fast and the Furious’ franchise - thinks ever and I think Hollywood is beginning to realize that from Israel credits her family for her the values her mother instilled in her have actresses don’t die at 40. We’ve got to continue making Tmaking her dream big, but especially helped her. Speaking about her Wonder progress and find more great roles for women that her mum, who taught her and her sister to Woman character, she said: “She’s the ulti- reflect our strength and importance in society.” be “ambitious”. She said: “My mother has mate symbol of a strong, smart, and serious been a major influence in my life and that woman. She represents the kind of woman of my sister. Both my father and mother who is independent and highly capable, raised us to be very capable and independ- someone who can handle herself in very ent women with a strong sense of our- difficult conditions and doesn’t need to selves and a positive outlook on life. That rely on a man to rescue her.” Gal will debut kind of spirit is very important. I grew up in as the super heroine this month in ‘Batman believing in myself and thing that I would v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’ followed by be able to accomplish the goals I set out for her standalone ‘Wonder Woman’ movie myself. My mother was the one who next year, and says when she feels over- taught me to have big dreams and go out whelmed with the work she has on, she into the world with a sense of adventure.” thinks back to the lessons her mother has The actress who rose to fame as Gisele in instilled her.

Lady Gaga gets inked with victims of sexual abuse

he 29-year-old singer, who was raped at 19-years-old, the Oscars because I never told them I was a survivor. I was too was joined onstage at the Academy Awards by other vic- ashamed. Too afraid. And it took me a long time to even admit Ttims of sexual abuse during her performance of ‘Till It it to myself because I’m Catholic and I knew it was evil but I Happens To You’. Some of the group members permanently thought it was my fault. I thought it was my fault for ten years. inked their body to mark the occasion and celebrate their The morning after the Oscars when I talked to my grandmoth- strength. Meanwhile, the ‘Pokerface’ songstress previously er Ronnie, with tears in her eyes I could hear them welling revealed some of her family only found out that she had been through the phone she said to me “My darling granddaughter, raped after her performance at the Oscars. She said: “My I’ve never been more proud of you than I am today.” (sic) grandmother and my Aunt Sheri both called me the day after SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

Film Review

‘London Has Fallen,’ a ludicrous sequel on steroids

ondon Has Fallen” never pretends to be anything it’s not. the funeral as the terrorists pick off world leaders in various comical prefers the close contact knife kill to simple gun shots and makes The sequel to Antoine Fuqua’s big, dumb and kind of fun locations around the city. The French PM is on a luxury motor boat jokes like “I knew you’d come out of the closet sometime” when the “L“Olympus Has Fallen,” is bigger, dumber, jaw-droppingly with champagne, the Japanese PM is stuck in traffic on a bridge, and president emerges to save him from a terrorist. shameless and also kind of a riot. It is just so spectacularly cliched and the older Italian PM is up on the rooftop of Westminster Abbey with The terrorists, by the way, are led by a powerful international arms over-the-top that all you can do is laugh. his young girlfriend because “you only turn 30 once.” dealer (Alon Moni Aboutboul) who is out for vengeance after a drone The craziest thing is how they convinced everyone to reprise their strike targeting him ended up killing his daughter at her wedding. For roles. A dare? Fond memories? Or perhaps the $161 million world- Action movie based on action movies such an epic and comprehensive operation, his goals are fuzzy at best. wide box office receipts didn’t hurt either. In any event, Aaron Eckhart One of the only ones to get out alive is the US president, and he It’s a wonder how he was able to turn all those British police and royal is back as U.S. President Benjamin Asher, Angela Bassett as Lynne the and Mike begin an unbelievable run around the city to try to find safe- guards into his own personal army with a vague “change the world” Secret Service Director, Morgan Freeman as the Vice President and, of ty. All that’s missing was a montage of them trying on some civilian message. course, Gerard Butler as Secret Service Agent Mike Banning - the guy clothes so that they aren’t running around the desolate streets in their But that’s too much thinking for a movie that is ultimately just who saved the country from an improbably big assault on the White “hey, I’m the president and his protector three-piece navy suits.” That, mindless bluster. It remains so-bad-its-good fun, too, until the final House just three years ago. sadly, does not happen. third which devolves into some troubling Middle Eastern stereotypes The only one missing is director Antoine Fuqua and you feel it. Anyone who saw the first one knows that this is not an action and rah-rah American patriotic posturing as contrast. This sort of He’s been replaced with Swedish director Babak Najafi in his English- movie that’s based in any sort of reality. It’s an action movie based on movie was made for television viewing. You could tune in or out at language debut. Fuqua might not have been at his best with other action movies. The lines are big, the jokes are dumb, the any moment and really not miss anything. Or just have a drink before- “Olympus Has Fallen” but he’s still a skilled director. “London Has through-the-temple shots and ensuing blood splatter gratuitous, the hand and bring your rowdiest friends to the theater. “London Has Fallen” is a lot more cartoony. logic infuriating, and the gunfire relentless. At one point, when Mike Fallen,” a Gramercy Pictures release, is rated R by the Motion Picture This time, the president, Mike and Lynn head off to London for the and the President are in relative safety, Mike confirms to a terrorist via Association of America for “strong violence and language through- funeral of the British Prime Minister where 40 other heads of state are intercom that, yes, he is the one with the president. out.” Running time: 99 minutes. One and a half stars out of four. - AP expected. And, as is want for the unluckiest administration in history, Mike also might be a murderous sociopath. When President Ben there’s a large-scale, hyper-coordinated attack in the moments before asks what he’s made of, he says “bourbon and bad decisions.” He also Casting Saldana as Simone inflames ideas of race, beauty

f there was any doubt about how Nina Simone’s family and fans sophical problem of this casting.” The singer’s estate cooperated with feel about the upcoming biopic starring Zoe Saldana, recent social producers of the Netflix documentary “What Happened, Miss Imedia posts make it clear they are not pleased. A fresh round of Simone?” which was nominated for an Oscar this year. criticism for the film erupted after the trailer and poster for “Nina” Robert L Johnson, founder and chairman of the studio releasing were unveiled Wednesday. Saldana posted a quote from the singer “Nina,” describes Saldana’s performance as “an exceptional and mes- and civil rights activist on Twitter, and Simone’s estate responded merizing tribute.” “She gave her heart and soul to the role and dis- with: “Cool story but please take Nina’s name out your mouth. For the played her extraordinary talent,” he said in a statement Thursday. “The rest of your life.” Simone’s daughter and others have decried the most important thing is that creativity or quality of performance choice to cast a light-skinned actress as the African-American activist should never be judged on the basis of color, or ethnicity, or physical since Saldana took the part in 2012. Her skin was apparently darkened likeness.” Asks Petty: “Then why put Zoe Saldana in brown-face make- for the role, and she wears a prosthetic nose. up?” At the time, Simone’s daughter, Simone Kelly, said: “Appearance- Representatives for Saldana and the Simone estate did not wise this is not the best choice.” “My mother was raised at a time respond to requests for comment Thursday from The Associated when she was told her nose was too wide, her skin was too dark,” Press. RLJ Entertainment will release “Nina” in theaters, digital HD and Kelly told the New York Times in a 2012 interview. video on demand on April 22. - AP Simone’s dark complexion and traditionally African features were central to her identity and concept of black beauty, so casting some- one with Saldana’s more ethnically ambiguous appearance is galling, said Miriam J Petty, assistant professor in the African-American Studies department at Northwestern University.

Depth of ignorance “It’s disrespectful and demonstrates the depth of the ignorance of the person making the film of the very subject of the film,” she said. The Simone estate tweeted Wednesday: “Hopefully people begin to understand this is painful. Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, nauseating, soul-crushing.” The estate is urging fans to hold listening parties on the film’s release date rather than watching “Nina.” Petty, also a devoted Simone fan, also encourages fans to stay away. “I think it’s important not to support this film financially, because the problem with biopics is they become the last word,” she said. “Whatever can be done to discredit this film as not the definitive Zoe Saldana attends the Los Angeles Premiere of “Infinitely Polar In this June 27, 1985 file photo, singer Nina Simone per- one, by virtue of the philosophical problem, the very blatant philo- Bear” held at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. — AP pho- tos forms at Avery Fisher Hall. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 Sam Smith on new album: ‘I’m going even deeper’

f you thought Sam Smith was deeply honest on his first album, expect him to take it a step fur- Sam Smith Ither on his sophomore release. “It’s (expletive) great. It’s really deep (stuff) that’s coming out - that’s all I’ll say,” a smiling Smith said in a recent interview. He wouldn’t say when his follow-up to 2014’s “In the Lonely Hour” will be released, but said he’s pushing himself to explore new territory. “Every day I’m having little epiphanies and changes and loving it. But all I can say is that I’m putting my heart even more out on the (expletive) line,” Smith said. “I’m going even deeper. I can’t believe I’m even doing it, but I’m going even deep- er.” “In the Lonely Hour” featured emotional pop there’s a “few moments” on his first album “where I songs about love lapses and unrequited love, think to myself, ‘I would have changed that. I would including song titles like “Leave Your Lover” and have done that differently.’” Smith added that “I’m Not the Only One.” It reached multiplatinum when he began to rise in the United Kingdom as a status in the United States and won four Grammy featured act on Disclosure’s dance song “Latch” - Awards, including song and record of the year for originally released in late 2012 - there was some “Stay With Me.” confusion about which musical direction he should As he reflects on that album, Smith says he has take. mixed feelings about his breakthrough project. “As soon as ‘Latch’ had a lot of success in (the) This file photo taken on February 15, 2016 shows recording artist Kendrick Lamar as he “There’s a few songs I really (expletive) hate, but U.K., my label and me had a little bit of a panic. We receives the award for the Best Rap Album, To Pimp A Butterfly during the 58th Annual then the core of the album, songs like ‘Stay With were like, ‘Maybe we should be doing dance?’ And Grammy music Awards in Los Angeles. — AFP Me,’ ‘I’m Not the Only One’ - actually all the songs that’s what I can hear on (my first) album - there’s except ‘Money on My Mind’ - I really love and I’m two or three songs where I can hear the little wob- really proud of the classic-ness of the way they ble, but the rest of the album is what I set out to In surprise return, Kendrick sound, because I still listen to them now and I still make from the beginning,” he said. “But I still love love them,” he said. “The music I’m making at the my album, but I’m loving my new one (expletive) moment, it’s very much a beautiful little transition more.” — AP from there and it fits.” Lamar warns of spiritual crisis Smith co-wrote his debut album and also won resh from his triumph at the Grammys, Lamar led the Grammys by winning five an Academy Award for co-writing “Writing’s on the Kendrick Lamar has returned with a sur- awards at the music industry’s big night on Wall” from the James Bond film “Spectre.” He says Fprise new album that shows a more spon- February 15. He received a near-record 11 nom- taneous side to a rapper still thinking big about inations and won praise for his spirited, politi- the world’s ills. The album released on Friday- cally tinged performance that teased on the Foo Fighters tellingly entitled “untitled unmastered.” brings unreleased material. together songs that Lamar has performed in “untitled unmastered.” features a series of recent months along with studio outtakes in cameo appearances, most notably by CeeLo which the rising star both reflects on the dis- Green who adds his mellifluous yet soulful comforts of fame and warns of a society in spiri- tenor voice. The latest album digresses toward tual crisis. the end with a more than eight-minute track- “untitled unmastered.” starts where Lamar which hip-hop artist Swizz Beatz revealed to left off musically with a jazzy pizzicato on a have been produced by his five-year-old son- string bass but quickly goes into heavy lyrical that culminates in a lackadaisical sing-along to territory. Lamar conjures up imagery from the acoustic guitar. Yet the eight-track album- September 11 terrorist attacks and the Book of which, true to the title, assigns numbers and Revelation as he cautions against hypocrisy dates rather than names to each song-ends among the religious as well as atheism. with a polished dose of funk. “Another trumpet has sounded off and every- one heard it / It’s happening-no more running Still a ‘crash dummy’ from world wars / It’s happening-no more dis- On that final single Lamar, as was his wont criminating the poor,” he raps. on “To Pimp a Butterfly,” turns his self-question- Foo Fighters The 28-year-old artist hails from the gangsta ing about his role into a larger examination of dispel breakup rap capital of Compton in Los Angeles County social forces. “Why so sad? Walking around with but, while maintaining street cred, considers them blue faces,” he sings to the beat, a play on himself a Christian. He brings the themes words as he conflates an expression for sadness rumors in viral online spoof together later in the album as he tries to get with the color of the stripes that appear next to fter a growing online buzz and chatter Meanwhile, the other band members convene inside the mind of a murderer, speaking of how Benjamin Franklin’s portrait on new $100 bills. about the band’s future, Foo Fighters have to find a new singer and jot down an audition list to the American business of mass incarceration Lamar reflects on a young woman conned some news-they are staying together. Foo include Justin Bieber and the Canadian pop celebri- can crush faith. “Genocism and capitalism just into credit card debt and brings back an endur- A Fighters, one of the defining acts of the 1990s alter- ty’s new electronic producer, Diplo. Finally Nick made me hate,” he raps, in a neologism that ing image from “To Pimp a Butterfly,” that of a native rock boom, had become a trending topic on Lachey, best known for the late 1990s boy band 98 turns genocide into an ideology. South African beggar who makes the rapper social media Wednesday after stating sternly that Degrees, enters the studio and offers a rousing ren- wonder about his fortunes. “Ain’t no money like they would soon make an “official band announce- dition of Foo Fighters hit “Everlong.” A rougher feel fast money / Even today I’m considered a crash ment.” The band apparently decided to raise expecta- The rollout of “untitled unmastered.” could dummy / A rapper chasing stardom / How can I Late in the day, Foo Fighters released a seven- tions of a breakup and put on the spoof after drum- scarcely be more different than that for his last fast forward?” he sings. minute video on YouTube with repeated-but, on mer Taylor Hawkins, speaking at an event around album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” which came out Lamar delves into the racial dynamics closer look, over-the-top-suggestions that the band the Grammy Awards, said that Foo Fighters needed almost exactly a year ago after a lengthy behind the music business on the album’s third is over. The video ends with a caption that reads: a break. Despite the denial of a breakup, it remains buildup and immediately achieved iconic sta- track, a parable in which the rapper seeks “For the millionth time, we’re not breaking up.” unclear when Foo Fighters will perform again. tus in the hip-hop world. advice from people of four races about his suc- The video opens with a parody interview of The band ended an extensive tour in November “To Pimp a Butterfly” experimented widely cess. The Asian, according to Lamar, urges him frontman Dave Grohl-earlier the drummer of and released a free EP dedicated to victims of the with conventional form, bringing in spoken to meditate and the Native American tells him grunge legends Nirvana-as the 47-year-old is told November 13 terror attacks in Paris as it hinted at a word interludes and jazz segues, to create an to hold onto land. The black man encourages that the younger generation is all about electronic hiatus. “I can’t help but wonder when we will see intricate portrait of the state of black America, him to seek sexual satisfaction. And the white music. “One button? One finger?” Grohl asks each other again. Who knows? But, with everything with the song “Alright” emerging as an unoffi- man? He told Lamar “that he selling me for just incredulously on what he needs to do to play elec- Foo Fighter related, it will only be when it feels cial anthem of the protest movement against $10.99.” — AFP tronica, as he blows on his hand to warm it up and right,” Grohl said at the time. — AFP police brutality. heads to a keyboard. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

Women attend a self-defense class in the Jordanian capital Amman. Jordanian Lina Khalifeh (Left) teaches a self-defence class. Black belt Lina empowers fellow Jordanian women

aekwondo black belt Lina Khalifeh started teaching self- More protection needed ‘Head held high’ defense to Jordanian friends in her parents’ basement in “Women have to be able to defend themselves” since “I’m no longer scared,” Murad said. “Now I walk in the street T2010 after one of them confided that her father and brother Jordanian law does not provide women with enough protec- with my head held high during the day and after dark. I know hit her-never expecting it would lead to an invitation to the White tion from harassment, rape or domestic violence, she said. how to defend myself.” In two- to three-month courses for four House. Word about her classes quickly spread and two years later, Over the past few years, rights groups have increasingly levels, Khalifeh teaches a mixture of taekwondo and boxing, as overwhelmed by the demand, Khalifeh opened the country’s first denounced violence against women in Jordan and demanded well as self-defense tricks like how to escape a strangling hold or women-only martial arts center. legal amendments to better protect its victims. The country’s hair grab. At the facility in north Amman, her young students throw fast penal code allows a rapist to avoid prison if he marries his vic- Taekwondo, originally developed in Korea more than 2,000 punches, closely following instructions from their short-haired, tim. years ago as a form of self-defense, involves using bare hands and 31-year-old coach. “My aim is to empower women and to make And while murder is punishable by the death penalty, in feet to repel an opponent, often with trademark spectacular kicks. them confident and able to defend themselves,” said the taek- so-called “honor killings”-the murder of a female relative Lujein Darwish, 16, said she fended off a harasser using skills she wondo athlete who won a gold medal at the 2003 Junior Asian believed to have “dishonored” the family-courts usually com- learnt over six months at the martial arts centre. Championships. “Sexual harassment happens worldwide. It’s not mute or reduce sentences. Khalifeh said that some people in “Women need to be strong to defend themselves in these situ- as bad in Jordan as in Egypt for example, but it does exist-espe- the conservative kingdom had opposed her project, but that ations, especially when they’re alone in the street,” she said. And cially on public transport and in some neighborhoods of overall she had received “quite a lot of support”. “Some then there are those who attend SheFighter’s two- to three- Amman.” women who have signed up for classes at the centre have month classes for sport. “I’ve been doing taekwondo since I was a Since starting SheFighter, Khalifeh says she has trained some been the victims of violence, harassment-even rape,” she child because I love it,” Rouba Massaada, 17, said. “But, of course, 14,000 women and girls aged between four and 75 — including said. if someone harasses me or says something hurtful, they should thousands of Syrian refugees and foreign domestic workers One of her students, 18-year-old Farah Murad, said she watch out,” she added, smiling. — AFP through NGOs. In May last year, she was invited to the White joined the classes after a young man harassed her in the House in Washington as one of several inspiring young entrepre- street. “It happened in broad daylight,” she said. “I was walk- neurs from around the world. “We want to empower leaders of ing down the street when this guy caught me by the shoulder. social change like Lina Khalifeh of Jordan,” US President Barack I pushed him back but then I didn’t know what to do, so I ran Obama said in his speech, singling her out. all the way home.” But classes at SheFighter have helped.

Women attend the self-defense class. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 Top TV series getting museum treatment

ome say television is experiencing a new clothing worn by the aristocratic characters and golden era, and America’s museums are put- their household staff on “Downton Abbey” at Sting those highly acclaimed shows on display, Chicago’s Driehaus Museum, on display until May showcasing popular culture in their prestigious 8. There was also last year’s “Mad Men” exhibit at spaces in hopes of attracting younger and more New York’s Museum of the Moving Image, which diverse visitors. coincided with the final episodes of the acclaimed In the US capital Washington, the National show about a narcissistic advertising executive’s Portrait Gallery houses the likenesses of all of the professional and family life in the 1960s. country’s great leaders-George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and.... Francis ‘New, younger, more diverse’ Underwood? Underwood, Oscar-winning actor “There is nothing surprising about seeing the Kevin Spacey’s cunning fictional president on the influence of television” in American museums, said powerhouse Netflix series “House of Cards,” sits Dustin Kidd, a sociologist at Temple University in cross-legged at a desk — his Oval Office, of course. Pennsylvania. The author of “Pop Culture Freaks” The work made its debut last week and will be told AFP the country has numerous museums ded- on display until October. The display coincides with icated to film and television, and that “the influ- Friday’s release of the fourth season of the political ence of television on American art is as old as tele- A new portrait of actor Kevin Spacey in his role as “House of Cards” President Francis J. drama. “I’m one step closer to convincing the rest vision itself.” Underwood on display at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. — AFP photos of the country that I am the president,” Spacey But Vera Zolberg, a sociologist at the New joked the day the portrait was unveiled. But why School, a university in New York, said featuring TV would a museum feature a fictional TV character? series “may very well be” a new trend. She com- “Not only does it reflect the impact of popular pared it to museums hosting visitors for sleep- contemporary culture on America’s story, but it overs. Now routinely offered as an option, she said also exemplifies the fine art tradition of actors por- she “would not have imagined such a practice” a trayed in their roles,” explained Kim Sajet, director few years ago. Peggy Levitt, a sociologist at of the National Portrait Gallery. The National Wellesley College in Massachusetts, said pop cul- Museum of American History, also in Washington, ture exhibits are becoming more prevalent as gave a similar explanation when it added iconic museums realize they need to change their prac- objects from the cult TV series “Breaking Bad” to its tices to bring in “new, younger, more diverse audi- collection last November. The yellow hazmat suit ences.” “There is a growing recognition in this and the black porkpie hat worn by Walter White, a country that the people inside museums do not meek chemistry teacher who becomes a drug king- look like the people outside them,” she said. A pin, won’t be on public display until a planned 2010 study by the American Association of 2018 exhibit on American culture. But fans who Museums showed that white Americans make up can’t wait that long can visit a new exhibit at the 69 percent of the population but account for 79 Mob Museum in Las Vegas that features the pro- percent of museum visitors.—AFP Jon Hamm plays a narcissistic advertising exec- Clothes worn by US actor Bryan Cranston, tective suit and mask that White, played by Emmy utive in US show Mad Men, which was the sub- who plays Walter White in the cult TV series winner Bryan Cranston, wore while cooking meth. ject of the museum exhibition. “Breaking Bad”, are on display at a Las Other small screen sensations featured by Vegas museum. American museums include early 20th century Scientists use math to hunt identity of elusive Banksy

lusive street artist Banksy may have been unmasked - by They said the study is not conclusive but “does provide some Cairo, “we found that if we used the addresses of people with mathematics. Scientists have applied a type of modeling support for the theory that he is Banksy.” Banksy’s spokeswoman malaria we could find the mosquitoes that were spreading the Eused to track down criminals and map disease outbreaks to did not immediately respond to a request for comment yesterday. disease very easily.” identify the graffiti artist, whose real name has never been con- The artist’s satirical stencils - rats, kissing policemen, riot police Le Comber said the Banksy hunt suggested geographic profil- firmed. The technique, known as geographic profiling, is used by with yellow smiley faces - first appeared on walls in Bristol before ing could even be used to track down terrorists before they com- police forces to narrow down lists of suspects by calculating from spreading to London and then around the world. His works have mit an attack. “Some terrorists will engage in graffiti, banner-post- multiple crime sites where the offender most likely lives. fetched as much as $1.8 million at auction. ing and leafletting to establish their credibility,” Le Comber said. The researchers used the location of 140 Banksy artworks in The researchers say their art-sleuthing “demonstrates the flexi- “You could potentially use the spatial pattern of leafletting to London and Bristol, western England. Writing in the Journal of bility of geographic profiling.” Lead writer Steven Le Comber, a identify the location of terror cells.” — AP Spatial Science, they said the artworks “are associated with sites mathematical biologist at Queen Mary University of London, said linked to one prominent candidate” - Robin Gunningham, previ- the technique had uses beyond criminology, such as working out ously named in media reports as Banksy. where epidemics start. He said that during a malaria outbreak in

Workmen watch the media photograph a new artwork by British artist Banksy opposite the Bonhams employees adjust a spray paint work by urban artist Banksy at Bonhams auction French Embassy, in London. house in London.— AP photos SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

Balmain

The Fall-Winter show (as expected) was filled with great looks by Olivier Rousteing. The show also had a couple of surprises with supermodels Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner revealing new hair colors. — AFP photos Paris Fashion Week

Lanvin Rick Owens

Models walking runway in the Fashion houseís first collection after the departure of former head designer Alber Models showcasing the 2016- 2017 Fall/Winter show. Named Mastodon Elbaz. Lanvin have yet to appoint a new head designer. The Fall/Winter show was created by the design team. by Rick Owens himself. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

Vetements Julien David

Demna Gvasalia puts on another show for the French label yesterday. Models showcasing the Fall/Winter 2016-2017 collection yesterday.

Loewe Chalayan

Jonathan Anderson delieved yet another show for the brandís Fall/Winter Collection. Hussien Chalayan puts on his Fall/Winter 2016-2017 show yesterday in Paris. TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Facebook set to pay more British tax after criticism

LONDON: Social media giant Facebook, which has been under fire in Britain for its tax arrangements, said yester- day it will stop routing its British sales through Ireland - a practice that had kept its UK tax bill extremely low. Facebook, Amazon and other multinationals have been criticized for using complex tax arrangements in Europe to drastically reduce their bills. Facebook said in a statement that from April, “UK sales made directly by our UK team will be booked in the UK, not Ireland. Facebook UK will then record the revenue from these sales.” It said the change would “provide transparency to Facebook’s opera- tions in the UK” Facebook paid just 4,327 pounds ($6,116) in corpora- tion tax in 2014 in Britain, where it recorded 105 million pounds in revenue. The UK is one of its biggest markets outside the United States. The company did not say how much more tax it would pay under the new arrangements in Britain, where the corporation tax rate is 20 percent of taxable income. Facebook’s announcement follows Britain’s introduction of a “diverted profits tax” of 25 per- cent to deter companies from using complex international arrangements to cut their tax bills. — AP These images provided by Sony Computer Entertainment, LLC shows scenes with creatures and locations from the video game, “No Man’s Sky.” — AP photos Amazon unveils devices ‘No Man’s Sky’ reaching for smart home market WASHINGTON: Amazon unveiled two devices Thursday in the family of its “Alexa” voice-activated personal assistant, aiming for a bigger to infinity and beyond foothold in the smart-home market. The US online giant announced it would sell the Amazon Tap, a $130 voice-activated portable speaker, Game industry’s best kept secret releases on 21st June which connects to Wi-Fi or a mobile hotspot “to play music, read the news, provide weather reports, and even order a pizza.” The second device is called the Echo Dot, a basic $90 sibling of the LOS ANGELES: “No Man’s Sky” creator With its breathtaking vastness, colorful down players who cause too much may- original Echo which can control light switches, thermostats and other Sean Murray wants everyone in the world art style recalling classic sci-fi novel covers hem, such as breaking into alien factories connected devices by voice command. The Dot will only be made to know that his galaxy simulator isn’t and moody score provided by electronic- to steal blueprints or killing too many available to customers with existing Amazon devices, and may only merely a ridiculously ambitious idea that’s rock band 65daysofstatic, “No Man’s Sky” dinosaur-like creatures. be ordered with the voice command, “Alexa, order an Echo Dot.” wowed crowds at the Electronic captured the gaming industry’s attention “They’re these self-replicating drones Amazon launched its effort in 2014 with its Echo speaker, using Entertainment Expo. It’s actually a video in 2014 when it was first teased at the that were put there by this ancient fore- the same kind of artificial intelligence employed by Apple’s Siri, game. “I think people really like the con- Spike Video Game Awards and E3. runner race that did it with good inten- Google Now and Microsoft’s Cortana, among others. Internet titans cept, but it’s very important for me to 18 quintillion planets to explore tions to protect planets,” said Murray. such as Apple and Google are eager to make their platforms into hubs deliver on that,” said the Hello Games co- The game, which is scheduled for “They’re gotten a little bit out of control. that exploit the powers of smartphones, tablets or other devices to founder during a recent trip to Los release June 21, doesn’t feature a tradi- It’s questionable in the game whether control entertainment, information, temperature, lighting and more Angeles to show off “No Man’s Sky.” tional narrative. Instead, there’s lore play- they’re good guys or bad guys.” The way in smart homes. The platform could let Amazon jump ahead in that While the virtual environments in ers can uncover when interacting and in which time passes in the “No Man’s race with the first device in homes that will be listening and ready to most games are meticulously crafted by learning languages from alien races scat- Sky” is also determined by developers’ act whenever people might think of something they want or need to artists and designers, “No Man’s Sky” tered across an estimated 18 quintillion - algorithms because planets uniquely buy. Amazon has been adding partners to its Alexa platform, includ- transports players to a fictional sci-fi that’s 18 billion billion - planets. “It’s not rotate, resulting in different day and night ing the Spotify streaming music service, which it made a feature of its galaxy populated by an almost infinite like a typical video game,” said Murray. cycles. Fire TV, enabling voice searches for viewers. — AFP number of planets - each with their own “You don’t start off in prison, then some- “We display a 24-hour clock right now, ecology - that are generated by a one throws you a gun and you have to which shouldn’t be there,” said a visibly PlayStation 4 or PC using mathematical rescue your dad or something. It’s about conflicted Murray. “Every time I’ve tried to change that, it just breaks people’s brains.” The game’s randomness means that even Murray, who helped build a new engine to create “No Man’s Sky,” is still surprised by what he discovers when landing his spaceship on new planets. “I was showing someone the game, and we came across this stilted creature that looked like a zombie T-rex,” said Murray. “I screamed to the person, ‘Go move closer to it!’ It’s quite fun that I can- not know my own game.” Despite the seemingly endless structure of “No Man’s Sky,” Murray suggested it does have a natural conclusion: reaching the center of the universe. “It seems really daunting, but you will be able to upgrade your ship to fly fur- ther and further in each jump that you rules devised by Murray and his Guildford, finding these places and becoming more make,” said Murray. The landmark is illus- England-based indie studio. It’s engrossed in them.” trated on the game’s galactic map by a “Minecraft” meets “The Martian.” For instance, players can record a plan- bright light that can be glimpsed past an “When we set out to make the game, et’s lifeforms and upload them to earn the array of tiny dots, which each represent we wanted people to have this emotion, game’s currency. Or they can shoot ‘em different solar systems. “When you reach SAN FRANCISCO: In this Wednesday, March 2, 2016 photo, like they’re landing on a planet and feel- with a laser gun. “You can be a good citi- the center, there’s a reason why you David Limp, Amazon Senior Vice President of Devices, ing like no one has ever been there zen of the universe or you can be a jerk, a would want to keep playing, but for most gestures toward an Amazon Echo in San Francisco. before,” said the lanky Irish-born, space jerk,” said Murray. “It’s up to you.” people, that’s probably the point they’ll Amazon.com is introducing two devices, the Amazon Tap Australian-raised developer as he demon- However, it’s not consequence-free put down the pad,” said Murray. “It will and Echo Dot, that are designed to amplify the role that strated the game with an almost perma- gameplay. There’s an intergalactic force probably take hundreds and hundreds of its voice-controlled assistant Alexa plays in people’s nent grin. called Sentinels who will sometimes hunt hours.” — AP homes and lives. — AP TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

College hackers shine light on cybersecurity

BOSTON: Students from MIT and Britain’s University of Cambridge will spend the weekend hacking one another’s computers, with the blessing of their national leaders. The two schools are competing in a hacking contest that U.S President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron announced last year among other joint cybersecurity projects between the two nations. The White House billed it as a showdown between the two prestigious schools, both known as heavyweights in the world of computer science. But the colleges opted to make it a friendlier match. Instead of fac- ing off against each other, the schools assigned their top hackers to six teams made up of students from both institutions. Teams will gather at MIT on Friday and then, for a frenzied 24 hours, try to hack into their opponents’ computers and steal a trove of files. “This isn’t us versus them,” said Howard Shrobe, a principal researcher at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, which is hosting the event. “It’s the best of both schools working together.” Along with bragging rights, winners will receive cash prizes of more than $20,000. It’s intended to be the first in a series of global cybersecurity competitions. After a summit in Washington last year, Obama and Cameron jointly called for wider collaboration on cybersecurity. It was only weeks after the US government accused North Korea of hacking com- puters at Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. The leaders also agreed to form a joint “cyber cell” among their national security agencies, among other measures.

Shortage of professionals Major breaches like the Sony hack have underscored what experts GENEVA: The Mercedes Concept Car is shown during the press day at the 86th International Motor Show. — AP say is a shortage of cybersecurity professionals. An industry group reported last year that 86 percent of its members believe there is a shortage of skilled workers. The contest at MIT aims to spark interest in the field and to promote cooperation among academics. Different paths may lead “It is essential for us to work together and compare notes,” said Frank Stajano, leader of the Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research at the University of Cambridge, which is sending 10 to autonomous vehicles students to the competition. “If you’re not at least as good as the bad guys, then you have no chance against them.” Hacking competitions have been gaining popularity in recent years, both as sport and to Everyday cars are getting gradually smarter train students for jobs in cybersecurity. By carrying out attacks, stu- dents learn to uncover weak spots in security systems and, in turn, GENEVA: Cars that drive themselves autonomous car.” determined that they - not tech com- build better defenses. On Friday, students will use computers that would mean a revolution in how peo- “The other one is more revolution- panies such as Google or Apple or a have hidden vulnerabilities already built-in.— AP ple get around. But they might arrive ary ... where first in restricted areas new entry such as ride-sharing service just as much by evolution, with you have fully autonomous cars and Uber - will provide the technology everyday cars getting gradually over time you expand the area where and reap the profits. They don’t want Tech and security smarter, as by sudden shifts to fully you can do that,” he said. “And I to play the role of Taiwan manufactur- self-driving vehicles. would say in restricted areas you can er Foxconn Technology Group, which experts back Apple Autonomous driving - and its see fully autonomous cars in the latter makes smartphones for Apple: as con- potential for sweeping change - was path around the turn of the decade.” tractors for a technology firm. SAN FRANCISCO: The nation’s leading tech companies joined security much on the minds of top auto exec- One token of that is the appear- experts, independent programmers and civil liberties advocates who utives at the Geneva International Avoid collisions ance of auto executives on turf usual- filed court papers backing Apple in its fight with the FBI over an Motor Show. The exhibit space in Some vehicles at the Geneva show ly associated with the tech industry encrypted iPhone used by an extremist killer. Geneva was mostly used for the made the case for evolution. The such as the CES electronics show in Several law enforcement groups, meanwhile, filed briefs in support show’s primary purpose: showing off Mercedes-Benz E-Class luxury sedan Las Vegas. Ford CEO Mark Fields of federal authorities who are seeking Apple’s help in hacking an product to the news media and the from Daimler AG already offers wide- spoke at the Mobile World Congress encrypted iPhone used by Syed Farook, one of the San Bernardino public in order to boost sales. The ranging, optional driver assistance in Barcelona about the company’s mass shooters. display stands were dominated by technology. The latest version of the plans for semi-autonomous functions These “friend of the court” briefs come in advance of a March 22 expensive sports and luxury cars for car can avoid collisions at intersec- such as cars that deal with traffic jams hearing in which Apple is asking U.S. Magistrate Sheri Pym to reverse the rich and new SUVs for more mid- tions by recognizing crossing traffic and parking, and its fully autonomous an order requiring Apple to create a software program that overrides dle-class buyers. and braking. It can help drivers fight vehicle development program. iPhone security features. That program would let authorities try to But the future beyond the upcom- crosswinds, automatically brake for Some analysts talk about cars as a unlock Farook’s phone by guessing its passcode; Apple says it would ing model year was very much a topic pedestrians, warn drivers if they’re service, something you order for a make all other iPhones more vulnerable to future attacks. of discussion, if less visible on the dis- getting drowsy, and park itself. It can few hours or day when needed, Relatives of five people who were killed, along with one survivor of play stands. Executives think that cars assist avoidance maneuvering, first instead of something you own. the Dec 2 attack, also filed a brief saying the FBI’s request is lawful and that drive themselves at least part of by helping the driver steer and then General Motors, for instance, has calling Apple’s concerns “speculative.” The relatives argued the phone the time may be upon us by the end by bringing the car back onto a started an app-based car-sharing pro- might contain useful leads or even “explain the motive for this sense- of this decade. Technology such as straight path in a controlled way gram, Maven, with 21 vehicles parked less tragedy.” But the husband of another survivor submitted a letter autonomous driving by cars equipped afterward. around the University of Michigan on Apple’s behalf, saying he believes the order would set a bad prece- with cameras and radar sensors could Nissan says its Qashqai crossover campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That dent and adding that he doesn’t believe the phone has any useful blend with Internet connections and SUV - that is, a sport-utility with some idea could eventually merge with information. apps. For instance, a car could be car-like features - will be equipped vehicle autonomy. Analyst Colin Bird ordered for a few hours through an with what the company calls “stage from IHS Automotive said that ride- Rewrite the rules app and drive itself to the customer. one” autonomous driving technology sharing services such as Uber and car- The case has pitted top officials of the Obama administration Google, meanwhile, is testing that lets it drive itself in single-lane sharing such as GM’s Maven or against one of the world’s most admired and profitable companies. US completely autonomous cars on heavy traffic conditions on freeways. Daimler’s Car2Go would “in the long Attorney General Loretta Lynch this week suggested Apple was trying streets in Mountain View, California, Nissan says it will have a full range of term merge into one thing, a highly to rewrite the rules for what she characterized as routine steps taken by Austin, Texas, and Kirkland, vehicles with autonomous technolo- autonomous on demand network of law enforcement investigators. But some of Apple’s biggest competi- Washington. Daimler CEO Dieter gy by 2020 “on mainstream, mass- cars. That’s the long-term vision.” tors rose to its defense in a joint legal brief submitted Thursday. Zetsche said his company sees “two market cars at affordable prices.” Carmakers, he said, “see that coming “The government’s position, if it prevails, will undermine the securi- roads to full autonomy, one being the Nissan also showed off its IDS, for down the pike and they want to be ty of America’s most sensitive data,” states a filing from Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Yahoo and ten other companies. “The more evolutionary one where basical- intelligent driving system, concept involved in that, they don’t want law does not allow federal agents to conscript companies into defeat- ly more and more assistance systems car, with a steering wheel that retracts Uber, or somebody else, to take that ing their own security safeguards and product designs.” — AFP kind of automatically lead to a fully when not needed. Car companies are from them.” — AP TV listings SATURDAY, March 5, 2016

Kardashians 02:00 Curb Your Enthusiasm 05:00 Cinema Verite 04:10 The E! True Hollywood Story 02:30 It’s Always Sunny In 06:30 Love Crimes Of Kabul 05:05 The E! True Hollywood Story Philadelphia 06:30 Love Crimes Of Kabul 06:00 Keeping Up With The 03:00 Fresh Off The Boat 08:00 The Mind Of The Married Man Kardashians 03:30 Black-Ish 08:00 The Mind Of The Married Man 00:25 The Chocolate War 06:55 Keeping Up With The 04:00 Weird Loners 08:30 The Comeback 02:10 They Call Me Mister Tibbs! Kardashians 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring 08:30 The Comeback 04:00 Fuzz 07:50 Style Star Jimmy Fallon 09:00 Veep 05:30 Guns Of The Magnificent 08:20 E! News 05:30 Modern Family 09:00 Veep Seven 09:15 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 06:00 Mad Love 09:30 Getting On 07:15 The Garbage Pail Kids Movie 10:15 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 06:30 Community 09:30 Getting On 08:50 Agent Cody Banks 11:10 Fashion Police 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 10:00 From The Earth To The Moon 10:30 Agent Cody Banks 2: 12:05 E! News 08:00 Weird Loners 10:00 From The Earth To The Moon Destination London 13:05 Botched 08:30 Breaking In 11:00 Bette Midler: The Showgirl 12:10 Guns Of The Magnificent 14:05 Botched 09:00 Fresh Off The Boat Must Go On Seven 15:00 Botched 09:30 Parks And Recreation 11:00 Bette Midler: The Showgirl 13:55 One More Time 16:00 WAGs 10:00 The Simpsons Must Go On 15:30 Everybody’s Fine 17:00 WAGs 10:30 Community 12:15 Herblock: The Black & The 17:10 The Man In The Iron Mask 18:00 E! News 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring White 19:20 Lords Of Dogtown 19:00 Keeping Up With The Jimmy Fallon 12:15 Herblock: The Black & The 21:00 Night Manager Kardashians 12:00 Mad Love White 22:00 Breaking Bad 20:00 Dash Dolls 12:30 Weird Loners 14:00 The Mind Of The Married Man 23:00 The Joshua Tree 21:00 Christina Milian Turned Up 13:00 Breaking In 14:00 The Mind Of The Married Man 22:00 E! News 13:30 Community 14:30 The Comeback 23:00 House Of DVF 14:00 Black-Ish 14:30 The Comeback 14:30 Parks And Recreation 15:00 Veep 15:00 The Simpsons 15:00 Veep 15:30 Suburgatory 15:30 Getting On 16:00 The Nightly Show With Larry 15:30 Getting On 00:05 Doctors Wilmore 16:00 From The Earth To The Moon 00:35 Father Brown 16:30 Mad Love 16:00 From The Earth To The Moon 01:20 War And Peace 00:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 17:00 Bette Midler: The Showgirl 02:10 War And Peace 00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 18:00 The Muppets Must Go On 02:55 Stella 01:00 Follow Donal... To Europe 18:30 Dr. Ken 17:00 Bette Midler: The Showgirl 03:45 Doctors 01:30 Follow Donal... To Europe 19:00 Last Man Standing Must Go On 04:15 Father Brown 02:00 Australian Food Adventures 19:30 Life In Pieces 19:00 The Newsroom 05:00 Doctors With Matt Moran 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring 19:00 The Newsroom 08:30 Eastenders 03:00 Man Fire Food Jimmy Fallon 20:00 The Sopranos 10:30 Death In Paradise 03:30 Man Fire Food 21:00 Suburgatory 20:00 The Sopranos 13:15 Casualty 04:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 21:30 The Nightly Show With Larry 21:00 Luck 14:10 Doctors END OF WATCH ON OSN MOVIES HD 04:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives Wilmore 21:00 Luck 14:40 Doctors 05:00 Iron Chef America 22:00 Saturday Night Live 22:00 Animals 15:10 The Musketeers 06:00 Chopped 23:00 It’s Always Sunny In 22:00 Animals 19:30 Mako Mermaids 16:35 Jake And The Never Land 18:30 Eastenders 07:00 Man Fire Food Philadelphia 22:30 Funny Or Die Presents 19:55 Girl Meets World Pirates 19:00 Moone Boy 07:30 Man Fire Food 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers 22:30 Funny Or Die Presents 20:20 Girl Meets World 17:00 Sofia The First 19:25 Father Brown 08:00 Chopped 20:45 Good Luck Charlie 17:25 Jungle Cubs 20:15 Dickensian 09:00 Amazing Wedding Cakes 21:10 Good Luck Charlie 17:50 Aladdin 21:00 Dickensian 10:00 The Pioneer Woman 21:35 H2O 18:15 The Lion King 21:50 War And Peace 10:30 The Pioneer Woman 22:00 Binny And The Ghost 19:45 Sofia The First 22:40 Unforgotten 11:00 Siba’s Table 22:25 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 20:10 Jake And The Never Land 23:30 Doctors 11:30 Siba’s Table 00:00 Supernatural Witch Pirates 12:00 Barefoot Contessa 00:00 The Newsroom 01:00 Grey’s Anatomy 22:50 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 20:35 Miles From Tomorrow 12:30 Barefoot Contessa 00:00 The Newsroom 02:00 Survivor: Kaoh Rong Witch 21:00 Goldie & Bear 13:00 Chopped 01:00 The Sopranos 03:00 Sleepy Hollow 23:10 Hank Zipzer 21:30 Sofia The First 14:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 01:00 The Sopranos 04:00 Good Morning America 23:35 Binny And The Ghost 22:00 Jungle Cubs 17:00 Chopped 02:00 Game Of Thrones 06:00 The Astronaut Wives Club 22:25 Aladdin 18:00 Siba’s Table 02:00 Game Of Thrones 07:00 White Collar 22:50 Gummi Bears 19:00 Staten Island Cakes 03:00 The Bastard Executioner 08:00 Blood & Oil 23:20 Lilo And Stitch 20:00 Chopped 03:00 The Bastard Executioner 09:00 American Idol 00:00 Violetta 23:50 Zou 21:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 04:00 The Wire 11:00 White Collar 00:45 The Hive 21:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 04:00 The Wire 12:00 The Astronaut Wives Club 00:50 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 00:05 Henry Hugglemonster 22:00 Man v Food 05:00 Cinema Verite Witch 00:20 Calimero 22:30 Man v Food 01:15 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 00:35 Zou 23:00 Save My Bakery Witch 00:50 Loopdidoo 01:40 Hank Zipzer 01:05 Art Attack 02:05 Binny And The Ghost 01:30 Henry Hugglemonster 07:00 Star vs The Forces Of Evil 02:30 Violetta 01:45 Calimero 07:25 K. C. Undercover 03:15 The Hive 02:00 Zou 07:50 Supa Strikas 03:20 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 02:15 Loopdidoo 08:15 Annedroids Witch 02:30 Art Attack 08:40 Lab Rats 00:35 The Chase: Celebrity Specials 03:45 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 02:55 Henry Hugglemonster 09:10 Kirby Buckets 01:30 More Tales From Witch 03:05 Calimero 09:35 Gamers Guide To Pretty Much Northumberland... 04:10 Hank Zipzer 03:20 Zou Everything 02:00 More Tales From 04:35 Binny And The Ghost 03:30 Loopdidoo 10:00 Supa Strikas Northumberland... 05:00 Violetta 03:45 Art Attack 13:00 Wendy Wu: Homecoming 02:30 Emmerdale 05:45 The Hive 04:10 Henry Hugglemonster Warrior 05:00 Coronation Street 05:50 Mouk 04:20 Calimero 14:30 Phineas And Ferb 07:10 Shetland 06:00 Lolirock 04:35 Zou 14:45 Kickin’ It 08:05 More Tales From 06:25 Sofia The First 04:45 Loopdidoo 15:10 Disney Mickey Mouse Northumberland... 06:50 Gravity Falls 05:00 Art Attack 15:15 Rocket Monkeys 08:30 Churchill’s Secret 07:15 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug & 05:25 Henry Hugglemonster 15:40 Wander Over Yonder 10:15 Grantchester Cat Noir 05:35 Calimero 16:05 Star vs The Forces Of Evil 11:05 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 07:40 Jessie 05:50 Zou 16:30 Kirby Buckets 12:00 Murdoch Mysteries 08:05 Shake It Up 06:00 Loopdidoo 16:55 Gamers Guide To Pretty Much 12:50 Murdoch Mysteries 08:30 Shake It Up 06:15 Art Attack Everything 13:45 The Jonathan Ross Show 08:55 That’s So Raven 06:35 Henry Hugglemonster 17:25 K. C. Undercover 14:35 Shetland 09:20 That’s So Raven 06:50 Calimero 17:50 Supa Strikas 15:30 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night 09:45 Jessie 07:00 Zou 18:15 Lab Rats Takeaway 10:10 I Love Violetta 07:20 Loopdidoo 18:40 Mighty Med 16:45 The Jonathan Ross Show 10:25 Oliver & Company 07:35 Art Attack 19:10 Annedroids 17:40 Murdoch Mysteries 12:00 Violetta Recipes 08:00 Calimero 19:35 Star vs The Forces Of Evil 18:35 More Tales From 12:15 Whisker Haven Tales With The 08:10 Zou 20:00 Kirby Buckets Northumberland... Palace Pets 08:25 Loopdidoo 20:25 Gamers Guide To Pretty Much 19:00 More Tales From 12:20 Jessie 08:40 Miles From Tomorrow Everything Northumberland... 12:45 Jessie 09:05 Sofia The First 20:55 K. C. Undercover 19:30 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night 13:10 Austin & Ally 09:30 Goldie & Bear 21:20 Supa Strikas Takeaway 13:35 Austin & Ally 09:45 Jake And The Never Land 21:45 Lab Rats 20:45 The Jonathan Ross Show 14:00 Liv And Maddie Pirates 22:10 Mighty Med 21:40 Grantchester 14:25 Descendants Wicked World 10:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:40 Super Matrak 22:30 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 14:30 Liv And Maddie 10:35 Doc McStuffins 23:05 Super Matrak 23:25 Coronation Street 14:55 Dog With A Blog 11:00 Sofia The First 23:30 Boyster 23:50 Coronation Street 15:20 Dog With A Blog 11:30 Goldie & Bear 15:45 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug & 12:00 Miles From Tomorrow Cat Noir 12:25 The Lion King 16:10 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug & 14:00 Sofia The First Cat Noir 14:25 Goldie & Bear 16:35 Gravity Falls 14:50 Doc McStuffins 00:00 House Of DVF 17:00 Alex And Co 15:15 Zou 00:55 The Grace Helbig Show 00:30 Suburgatory 17:25 Mako Mermaids 15:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 01:25 Hollywood Cycle 01:00 The Nightly Show With Larry 17:50 I Love Violetta 15:55 Loopdidoo 02:20 E! News Wilmore 18:00 Cars 16:10 Miles From Tomorrow 03:15 Keeping Up With The 01:30 Louie 300- RISE OF AN EMPIRE ON OSN MOVIES ACTION TV listings SATURDAY, March 5, 2016

13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 06:49 Big Fish Man 14:00 American Idol 07:36 Monkey Life 16:00 Live Good Morning America 08:00 Monkey Life 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 08:25 Treehouse Masters 18:00 Blood & Oil 09:15 Treehouse Masters 19:00 Grey’s Anatomy 10:10 Treehouse Masters 20:00 Stitchers 11:05 Treehouse Masters 01:10 Hawaii Life 21:00 Criminal Minds 12:00 Treehouse Masters 01:35 World’s Most Extreme Homes 22:00 The Blacklist 12:55 Austin Stevens: Snakemaster 02:00 House Hunters 23:00 Mad Dogs 13:50 Crocodile Feeding Frenzy 02:30 House Hunters 14:45 Charles & Jessica: A Chimp 02:55 Rehab Addict Tale 03:20 Rehab Addict 15:40 Animal Cops South Africa 03:45 Rehab Addict 16:35 Echo And The Elephants Of 04:10 Fixer Upper Amboseli 05:05 Caribbean Life 17:05 Echo And The Elephants Of 05:30 Hawaii Life Amboseli 05:55 Extreme Homes 17:30 Into The Pride 00:15 300: Rise Of An Empire 06:45 Million Dollar Rooms 18:25 Wildest Africa 02:00 Devil’s Pass 07:10 Million Dollar Rooms 19:20 Rugged Justice 03:45 Betrayed 07:35 Rehab Addict 20:15 Wild Capture School 05:15 Oblivion 08:00 Extreme Homes 20:45 Wild Capture School 07:30 The Hulk 08:50 Restoration SOS Buffalo 21:10 Treetop Cat Rescue 10:00 Age Of Dinosaurs 09:15 Hawaii Life 21:40 Treetop Cat Rescue 11:45 The A-Team 09:40 Healthy Gourmet 22:05 Dr. Dee: Alaska Vet 14:00 Wrath 10:05 Healthy Gourmet 23:00 Rugged Justice 15:45 Oblivion 10:30 Beachfront Bargain Hunt 23:55 Austin Stevens: Snakemaster 18:00 Justice League: Throne Of 11:00 Beachfront Bargain Hunt Atlantis 11:25 Caribbean Life 19:30 The A-Team 11:50 Hawaii Life 21:45 Guardians Of The Galaxy 12:15 Rehab Addict 12:40 Rehab Addict 13:10 Curb Appeal 13:35 Curb Appeal 14:00 Junk Gypsies 14:25 Junk Gypsies 14:50 Cousins On Call 15:15 Kitchen Cousins 00:00 Devil’s Pass-18 00:00 Britain’s Darkest Taboos 15:45 Giada’s Weekend Getaways 01:45 Betrayed-PG15 01:00 The Haunting Of... 16:10 Giada’s Weekend Getaways 03:15 Oblivion-PG15 02:00 The Last Goodbye 16:35 Rachel Hunter’s Tour Of 05:30 The Hulk-PG15 02:30 The Last Goodbye Beauty 08:00 Age Of Dinosaurs-PG15 03:00 Ms. Homicide 17:00 Rachel Hunter’s Tour Of 09:45 The A-Team-PG15 04:00 The First 48 Beauty 12:00 Wrath-PG15 05:00 Crimes That Shook Britain 17:25 America’s Most Desperate 13:45 Oblivion-PG15 06:00 The Haunting Of... Kitchens 16:00 Justice League: Throne Of 07:00 The FBI Files 17:50 America’s Most Desperate Atlantis-PG15 08:00 Fred Dinenage: Murder Kitchens 17:30 The A-Team-PG15 Casebook 18:15 Giada In Italy 19:45 Guardians Of The Galaxy- 09:00 Fred Dinenage: Murder 18:40 Giada In Italy PG15 Casebook 19:05 Flip Or Flop 22:00 Predator-18 10:00 Britain’s Biggest Heists 19:30 Flip Or Flop 11:00 Britain’s Biggest Heists 20:00 Extreme Homes 12:00 Crimes That Shook Australia 20:55 House Hunters 13:00 Crimes That Shook Australia 21:20 House Hunters 14:00 When Life Means Life 21:45 Hawaii Life 15:00 When Life Means Life 16:00 The FBI Files 22:10 Restoration SOS Buffalo 00:15 The Hooligan Factory 17:00 Crime Stories 22:35 Rehab Addict 02:00 Bad Parents 18:00 Crime Stories 23:00 Million Dollar Rooms 04:00 Bottle Rocket 19:00 Britain’s Biggest Heists 23:55 Million Dollar Closets 06:00 Happy Gilmore 20:00 Britain’s Biggest Heists 08:00 Tooth Fairy 21:00 Monster In My Family 10:00 Bottle Rocket 22:00 Monster In My Family 12:00 500 Days Of Summer GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD 23:00 The Last Goodbye 14:00 Encino Man 23:30 The Last Goodbye 16:00 Tooth Fairy 04:45 Julie And Julia 16:00 Kikoriki: Team Invincible 08:05 Bakery Boss 18:00 The Bounty Hunter 07:00 Tea With Mussolini 18:00 Zarafa 20:00 22 Jump Street 08:55 Bakery Boss 00:00 Redbull Skate Arcade World 09:00 The Mirror Has Two Faces 20:00 The Tale Of The Princess 22:00 A Million Ways To Die In The 09:45 Designer Darlings Final 2015 11:00 Julie And Julia Kaguya West 10:35 Little People, Big World: 13:00 Mandela: Long Walk To 22:00 Bamse And The City Of 00:30 American Misfits Wedding Farm Freedom Thieves 01:00 Master Debaters With Jay 15:30 Paradise 23:30 Kikoriki: Team Invincible 11:25 Jon & Kate Plus 8 Mohr 17:30 The Mirror Has Two Faces 11:50 Jon & Kate Plus 8 01:30 Strangers In Danger 19:30 The Double 12:15 Jon & Kate Plus 8 00:40 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 02:00 Redbull Skate Arcade World 21:30 The Savages 12:40 Jon & Kate Plus 8 01:05 Who On Earth Did I Marry? Final 2015 23:30 Legends Of The Fall 01:00 Testament Of Youth-PG15 13:05 Jon & Kate Plus 8 01:30 The Haunted 02:30 ASP Champions Crowning 03:15 Nightcrawler-PG15 13:30 My Big Fat Fabulous Life 02:20 Ghost Lab 2008 05:15 Middle Of Nowhere-PG15 14:20 Belief 03:10 Serial Killers 03:00 Afmxa Freestyle Awards 2010 07:00 The Invisible Woman-PG15 15:10 Cake Boss 04:00 Deadly Devotion 09:00 Breathless-PG15 00:30 End Of Watch-18 03:30 Feast Of The East 02:30 Step Up Revolution-PG15 15:35 Cake Boss 04:45 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 04:00 Fuel TV’s Skate Arabia 11:00 Middle Of Nowhere-PG15 05:10 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 13:00 Two Men In Town-PG15 01:15 Shiver-PG15 04:15 I Am Ali-PG15 16:00 Cake Boss 05:00 Insane Cinema: Machotaildrop 03:00 A Promise-PG15 06:15 HairBrained-PG15 16:25 Cake Boss 05:30 The Haunted 15:00 My Piece Of The Pie-PG15 06:20 Fatal Encounters 06:45 DC Initials Tour 17:00 Breathless-PG15 05:00 Jack And The Cuckoo Clock 08:00 In My Dreams-PG15 16:50 Cake Boss 07:00 Riding The Long White Cloud Heart-PG 10:00 A Stranger In Paradise-PG15 07:10 True Crime With Aphrodite 19:00 Blue Ruin-PG15 17:15 Little People, Big World: 08:00 Brasil Surf 07:00 Boychoir-PG15 11:30 Need For Speed-PG15 Jones 21:00 Hummingbird-PG15 Wedding Farm 08:00 Fatal Encounters 09:00 Fuel TV’s Skate Arabia 23:00 The Rover-18 09:00 Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2-PG15 14:00 Streetdance: All Stars-PG15 11:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- 16:00 In My Dreams-PG15 18:05 Oprah’s Lifeclass 08:50 Disappeared 10:00 The 808 13:00 Avengers: Age Of Ultron-PG15 18:00 The Judge-PG15 18:55 Cake Boss 09:40 Disappeared 10:30 The South 15:30 Son Of Batman-PG 20:30 The Last Of Robin Hood-PG15 19:20 Oprah Winfrey Leadership 10:30 On The Case With Paula 11:00 Master Debaters With Jay 17:00 Big Eyes-PG15 22:00 The Two Faces Of January Academy... Zahn Mohr 11:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 01:00 Toy Story 2 19:00 St. Vincent-PG15 21:00 Iyanla: Fix My Life 12:10 The Will 11:30 ASP Champions Crowning 03:00 The Pacifier 21:00 Are You Here-PG15 21:50 Oprah’s Master Class 13:00 The Will 2008 05:00 D2: The Mighty Ducks 23:00 The Necessary Death Of 22:40 Long Island Medium 13:50 California Investigator 12:00 Afmxa Freestyle Awards 2010 07:00 Planes: Fire And Rescue Charlie Countryman-18 23:05 90 Days To Wed 14:15 California Investigator 12:30 Feast Of The East 09:00 Inspector Gadget (1999) 23:55 The Day I Almost Died 14:40 Dr G: Medical Examiner 11:00 Ratatouille 13:00 Master Debaters With Jay 15:30 On The Case With Paula 13:00 Dolphin Tale 2 00:45 The Day I Almost Died Mohr Zahn 15:00 Coraline 01:35 My 600lb Life: Where Are They 13:30 World Of X Games 2014 16:20 On The Case With Paula 17:00 Night At The Museum: Battle 14:00 Fuel TV’s Skate Arabia Now? Zahn Of The Smithsonian 01:00 Memory Loss 02:25 My Naked Secret 17:10 Disappeared 15:00 Slam! 19:00 The Game Plan 02:45 Yellowbird 02:50 My Naked Secret 00:50 River Monsters 18:00 Disappeared 15:30 El Sueno 21:00 Three Men And A Little Lady 04:30 Miffy The Movie 03:15 Children’s Emergency Rescue 01:45 Man-Eating Super Croc 18:50 California Investigator 16:10 The Afends Hemp Revolution 23:00 Coraline 02:40 Big Fish Man 06:00 Pororo: The Racing Adventure 03:40 Children’s Emergency Rescue 19:15 California Investigator 16:30 American Misfits 03:35 Tanked 08:00 Dixie And The Zombie 19:40 Deadly Affairs 17:00 Crankworx Rotorua 2015 Rebellion 04:05 Craft Wars 04:25 Echo And The Elephants Of 05:00 Craft Wars 20:30 Deadly Affairs 19:00 Crankworx Rotorua 2015 10:00 Zarafa Amboseli 21:20 Deadly Affairs 11:30 Jungle Shuffle 06:00 Say Yes To The Dress 04:50 Echo And The Elephants Of 21:00 Insane Cinema: Machotaildrop 22:10 Deadly Affairs 22:45 DC Initials Tour 13:00 Yellowbird 06:25 Designer Darlings Amboseli 23:00 True CSI 05:15 Gator Boys 23:00 King Of Wake 2013 01:15 Little Man Tate 14:30 Bamse And The City Of 07:15 Outrageous Kid Parties 23:50 Surviving Evil 06:02 Treehouse Masters 03:00 Short Term 12 Thieves 07:40 Outrageous Kid Parties 23:30 King Of Wake 2013 WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

AOU and ATU organize Competency based Training Workshop

rab Open University (AOU) on 6th March, 2016. The workshop essential themes, determination in coordination with the will be delivered by Dr Younis of training needs by competen- A Arab Trainers Union (ATU) Khataybah, Chairman of the Union cies, and development of perform- will organize a workshop, entitled and also an expert in human ance. The workshop will be con- “Competency-based Training” at resources management, planning cluded with granting certificates the AOU Kuwait Branch Campus and training. It will address two to participants. Dr Younis Khataybah

Safety specialists speak at ASSE seminar

he American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Development and implementation of HSE Management practices with the Audio and video Presentations. The pro- Kuwait Chapter conducted a training seminar on System, HSE Training, Auditing and Inspections, Risk gram was very much beneficial to all the members particu- T‘How to Build Effective Contract Specific HSE Plan’ on Assessment and Loss Prevention, Accident investigations, larly to the junior Safety Officers and Engineers especially 19th February 2016 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at Kohinoor Process Safety Management and Contractor HSE from Petroleum and Petrochemical industries. Around 15 Banquet Hall, Fahaheel. Management. members attended and got benefited from this program. The trainer for the session was Sanjay Jaiswal. He is a The training seminar was excellently conducted by the The participants were very much happy and given feed- Certified Safety Professional (CSP) by the Board of Certified trainer and effectively communicated. Participants have back to conduct more such useful training from ASSE Safety Professionals, USA and holds a B.E. in Fire appreciated the learning of the subject. Overall under- Kuwait chapter for the benefit of its members. Engineering from Nagpur University India. He is presently standing on the Project Specific HSE Plan requirements, Babu VSVRA, Head of training committee, thanked Core Committee member of the ASSE Kuwait Chapter. ability to carry out Risk Assessment / Hazard Identification, Sanjay Jaiswal for his efforts, time, and initiative to make Jaiswal is currently working in Kuwait Oil Company as Identification of required Safety Procedures / Programs, the training program successful. The session concluded Safety Specialist and carries more than 26 years’ experience Identifying the training requirements / skill requirements, with the distribution of Participation Certificates. Delicious in downstream and midstream Oil and Gas industry. His Defining the roles and responsibilities etc, Ability to identi- dinner Sponsored by ASSE - Kuwait Chapter served at the specific skill areas include but not limited to the fy the requirements for implementing the key safe work end of the session. WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Pakistan Employment Forum organizes oral health care seminar for students

akistan Employment Forum Kuwait (PEFK), Medical the Audience, Students and Principal of school for giving Assistance Division, organized Oral Health Care Seminar on opportunity to conduct seminar. He briefly explained about P17th February, 2016 for Young Students in Pakistan English Pakistan Employment Forum Kuwait and stated that PEFK is a School Mangaf with coordination of Ihsan Ullah, the Principal of premier and first ever Pakistani Forum of its kind in State of Pakistan English School Mangaf. PEFK Medical Assistance Division Kuwait which is purely designated to provide assistance for prepared and conducted the event led by Dr Huda Shams, Dr Yasir job seekers and career counseling for students residing in Jameel. PEFK Medical Assistance Division is dealing with career Kuwait especially among Pakistanis. PEFK is a non-Political and assistance, guidance and counseling in Medical field for Job seek- non-Governmental organization. It is a social welfare group ers and Students in Kuwait. Ihsan Ullah, The Principal, Muhammad established with a vision to provide career guidance to job- Rizwan Abid, vice Principal of Pakistan English School Mangaf, seekers and students, mainly Pakistani citizens residing in Muhammad Irfan Adil, Founder President of PEFK, along with Kuwait, and help those in need of assistance in their career school staff including Qari Sohaib Anjum and Nighat graced the development, with no limitations of religion, nationality, race event. or ethnicity. We are here to serve humanity and the career of Seminar was started by Recitation of Holy Quran by Abdul all humans is precious to us. We aim to provide the Best Career Wahab whereas the event was conducted nicely by Khadija Development Counseling and Job Hunting guidance to our Abbas. She introduced PEFK and Medical Assistance Division to community in Kuwait. Young Student. PEFK Founder President, Muhammad Irfan Adil A famous National Song of Pakistan was presented beauti- welcomed all and Invited Dr Huda Shams, Dr Yasir Jameel for the fully by Abdul Aziz the student of Pakistan English School presentation. Dr Huda Shams and Dr Yasir Jameel Delivered Mangaf and firmly appreciated by all participants. Muhammad Comprehensive and informative Presentation on Oral Health Rizwan Abid, vice Principal of Pakistan English School Mangaf Topic, which showed different ways to tackle Dental issues. Young Kuwait highly appreciated PEFK initiative for students. He Students Participated with full enthusiasm and showed their high marked this effort as an amazing contribution. He stated that interest towards presentation and asked several questions in Q/A the Oral Health seminar is very useful, informative and produc- session and Students were shown different Techniques of brush- tive. He thanked PEFK Medical Assistance Division and all PEFK ing through Presentation and demonstration. Team for their ongoing efforts in serving the community. At the end, Certificate of Appreciation was presented to the par- Premier forum ticipating students and Teacher in PEFK 3rd Annual Event and At the end, PEFK President, Muhammad Irfan Adil thanked Interschool Pakistan National Song Competition. HEALTH SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Happiness can break your heart: Doctors

PARIS: Joyful events-the birth of a child, a big win by your team-can trigger a dangerous condition called the “broken heart syndrome”, doctors and researchers reported Thursday. Takotsubo syndrome, as it is also known, involves the sudden weakening of heart muscles, causing the left ventricle-the chamber which pushes oxygen-rich blood through the body-to balloon out abnormally at the bottom. Besides acute chest pain and shortness of breath, the condition can lead to heart attacks and death. It has long been known that an unexpected emotional shock-typi- cally something unpleasant, such as the death of a spouse, or a violent argument-can provoke an attack. But statistics were lacking, and no one had ever investigated whether an intensely happy event could give the same result. In 2011, a pair of researchers in Switzerland- Christian Templin and Jelena Ghadri, both of University Hospital Zurich-set up a global registry to track cases of the syndrome, which is fairly rare. Five years later, the network of 25 hospitals spread across nine countries had collected data on statistically significant 1,750 cas- es of the Takotsubo syndrome (TTS). For the study, Templin and Ghadri, leading a team of 16 researchers, determined that emotional jolts were responsible for 485 of those cases. And within that group, four percent-a total of 20 indi- viduals-could be said to have suffered from “happy heart syndrome.”

Birth of a grandchild An Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed through a microscope at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, “We have shown that the triggers for TTS can be more varied than Brazil. Volunteer Google engineers in San Francisco and New York are working with UNICEF counterparts to create a previously thought,” said Ghadri. “The disease can be preceded by system that combines several types of data to help predict where the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads the Zika positive emotions too.” virus, might next be particularly active, helping in eradication efforts. — AP The 20 cases set off by joyful events included a birthday party, a wedding, a surprise farewell celebration, a favorite rugby team win- ning a game, and the birth of a grandchild. Questions grow about Zika’s None of them proved fatal. Emergency room doctors should be aware of the fact that patients with signs of heart attack could be suf- fering from TTS, sparked by either positive or negative experiences. risk to future pregnancy For reasons the researchers do not understand, 95 percent of the patients in both the “broken heart” and “happy heart” groups were Concerns if virus can be transmitted sexually women, mostly in their mid-to-late 60s. “We still do not know why women are predominately affected by the Takotsubo syndrome,” Ghadri told AFP. “We can only speculate LOS ANGELES: Few women have competed consider skipping the 2016 Olympics That sentiment could change if a prior that the hormonal state-namely, oestrogen-might play a role in the in the Olympics while pregnant, but the sus- because of the risk of Zika infection. For Zika infection is shown to pose a risk later disease mechanism.” Women have much higher levels of oestrogen picion that the Zika virus in mothers is caus- women who are considering becoming “when I do decide to have children,” she said. than men, in whom testosterone — AFP ing birth defects is central to calculations by pregnant - and their male partners - the The US Olympic Committee has told ath- athletes and others planning travel to Brazil agency recommends consulting their physi- letes that babies may be at risk if the mother in August for the summer games. cians in deciding whether to go to the is infected with Zika while pregnant, or if she Expelled pregnant girls Chief among their concerns is whether Games. becomes pregnant within an unknown time Zika, unlike similar mosquito-borne viruses, The US Food and Drug Administration, frame after being infected. back at school in S Leone can be transmitted sexually, or remain latent however, has suggested a more detailed “We have worked to ensure that all in the body - possibly presenting a risk for time frame. It called this week for a six-month potential Olympic and Paralympic athletes FREETOWN: A group of 5,000 girls who were expelled from women who become pregnant after the delay in all human cell or tissue donations, are aware of the CDC’s recommendations, schools in Sierra Leone for getting pregnant during the Ebola cri- Olympics have ended. More than a dozen including of semen and eggs, from people and we will continue to do so,” USOC sis have returned to the classroom, the education ministry said on disease experts, in interviews with Reuters, who have had Zika infections or traveled to spokesman Mark Jones said in an emailed Thursday. said there is no evidence at this point of long- an outbreak area. statement. “They are the experts.” All schools were closed from June 2014 to April 2015 in Sierra term risk for future pregnancies. But, given Canada’s national health agency on Leone as part of government efforts to curb the spread of the the surprises seen with the virus so far, they Wednesday advised women who want to THE IMMUNITY QUESTION Ebola virus, which killed almost 4,000 people in the country. said people should remain cautious until get pregnant to wait at least two months The CDC says experiencing a Zika infec- But when they reopened in April 2015, girls were assessed studies give scientists a better picture of how after traveling to countries affected by the tion once likely protects a person from using invasive methods to check if they were pregnant or had the virus works. They said it would take Zika outbreak. Eighteen women have com- future infection, although that immunity - recently given birth. Kadie, in her third year of secondary school in months or even years of study for definitive peted in modern Olympics while pregnant like so many aspects of Zika - is not yet the south of the country, told AFP: “My breasts were lumped answers to questions about Zika’s risks. according to a group of Olympic historians proven.“It is likely that, following infection, together to find out whether they contained milky substances Public health agencies have urged preg- who publish their statistics at Sports- people are immune, but what percentage of before I was allowed to continue my tuition.” nant women to avoid travel to Zika outbreak Reference.com. The number includes US convalesced patients and for how long will It pupils were found to be expecting or had become mothers, areas but have given little guidance for cou- beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh, not be clear for some time,” said Dr. Leslie they were given the choice of attending temporary alternative ples planning to start a family. who was not yet aware she was pregnant Lobel, chair of the department of virology classes funded by the British and Irish governments. Dr. Claire Panosian, of the University of when competing in London in 2012. and developmental genetics at Israel’s Ben- As a result many girls missed exams to gain entrance to higher California, Los Angeles, division of infectious Some current Olympic hopefuls say they Gurion University of the Negev who has secondary school, university or college. diseases, said that for years she has advised might think twice about the Rio Games if been working with Ugandan and Brazilian Education Minister Brima Turay said the girls, some of whom couples to wait several months after travel- Zika could threaten future pregnancies, and scientists to investigate Zika. were still in the primary system when they became pregnant, ing to exotic locales before trying to conceive they are hoping for some better answers Whether the virus can remain in the body were readmitted in January after being banned from mainstream because of the risk of birth defects from dis- before the competition begins. and cause a recurrence also is not known. In schooling for being a “negative influence” on others. eases like toxoplasmosis. “If things stood as they are right now, I one case, Zika virus was detected in semen “They started during the school year in January but we were Zika should be no different, she said: probably would not go,” renowned US soc- 62 days after the man was infected, but it watching their performance before this disclosure and I am “Women of child-bearing age should be very cer goalkeeper Hope Solo told CBS last week. was not clear whether it was capable of pleased to report that it has been outstanding and over our scrupulous - wait several months.” The virus, “At some point I do want to start a family, infecting someone else. expectation,” he told AFP. The authorities said last year the girls which is spreading rapidly through the and I don’t want to be worried.” Separately, the CDC is investigating at were expelled “to avoid other girls from following the example of Americas, has been linked to a spike in micro- Solo has spoken out about feeling con- least 14 cases of possible sexual transmis- becoming pregnant while attending school”, as it “would set a cephaly, a rare birth defect, in Brazil. The con- flicted over her two great ambitions - win- sion. Zika was first identified in 1947 in bad precedent which runs alien to the country’s cultural values”. dition is defined by unusually small heads in ning Olympic gold and becoming a mother Uganda and previously linked to smaller An outcry ensued, with the Human Rights Commission of newborns and can cause brain damage. in the future. “It’s scary, and I have a lot of outbreaks. Many people who are infected Sierra Leone calling the exclusion of pregnant girls from main- Zika has not been proven to cause micro- reservations about going to the Olympics,” show no symptoms, while those who stream educational institutions “discriminatory and stigmatiza- cephaly, but evidence of an association led she said. DeeDee Trotter, a 33-year-old become ill report relatively mild effects of tion”. Sallimatu, 13, who spoke to AFP by phone from Bo, Sierra the World Health Organization to declare the Olympic sprinter and medalist who aims to rash or fever. There is no vaccine or treat- Leone’s second largest city, said she was happy to have returned outbreak a global health emergency. make the US team again this year, said in an ment for the virus, which is in the same fami- to school, adding that the stigma attached to teenage pregnancy The US Centers for Disease Control and interview she wasn’t worried “if the only dan- ly as dengue, West Nile virus and yellow made her determined to work hard at her studies. — AFP Prevention says pregnant women should ger is to women who are pregnant.” fever. — Reuters HEALTH SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Obama trumpets gains More evidence that aspirin lowers risk in healthcare coverage of cancer: Study 20 million gained insurance due to healthcare law MIAMI: People who take aspirin regularly have a significantly lower MILWAUKEE: President Barack Obama risk of cancer, particularly involving the colon and gastrointestinal trumpeted the nation’s declining unin- tract, according to US research published on Thursday. sured rate Thursday and said 20 million The findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association people have gained insurance as a result of (JAMA) Oncology suggest that aspirin use should complement-not his signature healthcare law as he com- replace-already established preventive screening measures such as memorated the approaching sixth anniver- colonoscopies. “We now can recommend that many individuals con- sary of the Affordable Care Act. sider taking aspirin to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer-particularly Obama criticized Republicans for trying those with other reasons for regular use, such as heart disease preven- to “repeal or undermine” the act about 60 tion,” said senior author Andrew Chan of the Massachusetts General times and said they’ve explained what they Hospital. would replace it with “about zero times.” “Our findings imply that aspirin use would be expected to prevent “If they got their way, 20 million people a significant number of colorectal cancers above and beyond those will have their insurance taken away from that would be prevented by screening and may have even greater them,” Obama said. benefit in settings in which the resources to devote to cancer screen- Congratulating local leaders in ing are lacking.” Wisconsin for winning a national health Previous research has shown that regular aspirin use can help pre- insurance enrollment contest, Obama vent colorectal cancer. acknowledged that millions more are eligi- However, the wider effect of aspirin on all cancers was less clear. So ble to enroll but have yet to do so. He the researchers looked at 32 years worth of data from nearly 136,000 attributed some of that to acrimony over MILWAUKEE: President Barack Obama speaks from the United Community nurses and health professionals who answered health surveys. the law, saying people haven’t always Center on Thursday in Milwaukee, Wis. The President traveled to Milwaukee to People who took either a regular aspirin or a low-dose aspirin at known what’s true and what’s not. celebrate the city’s victory in the Healthy Communities Challenge, a competition least twice per week showed a three percent lower risk of any type of Obama was introduced at the event by between 20 cities to increase the number of Americans with health insurance cancer than those who did not report regular aspirin use. Brent Brown of Mosinee, Wisconsin, who during the latest Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period. —AP The protective benefit of aspirin “appeared after five years of con- said he’s a Republican who never voted to tinuous use at dosages ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 standard tablets a winning city was promised a visit by the option given to states under the law, to week or one low-dose tablet a day,” said the study. elect Obama and worked to ensure he president. help cover more people. Obama said would not be president. But he said the Aspirin use reduced the risk of colorectal cancer by 19 percent and 21,000 additional state residents would be the risk of any gastrointestinal cancer by 15 percent. health care law saved his life after he was Renewing coverage covered “with the stroke of his pen.” diagnosed with an autoimmune disease Regular aspirin use “could prevent close to 30,000 gastrointestinal “All told, counting new folks and people “He’s denying Wisconsinites their ticket tract tumors in the US each year,” said the study. The team also calcu- and ran out of money for treatment. Brown renewing their coverage, you got nearly to health insurance and it’s political,” called on Republicans to quit trying to lated that aspirin use could “prevent an additional 7,500 colorectal 90,000 people to sign up,” Obama said. Obama said of Walker, who dropped out of tumors among US adults over 50 who have endoscopic screening and repeal the law. “Swallow your pride as I am “That’s enough to fill Lambeau Field and the race for the Republican presidential doing right now,” he said. 9,800 among the almost 30 million who are not screened.” still have a big tailgating party with folks nomination last year. Walker has argued However, when researchers looked specifically at common cancers More than 38,000 Milwaukee-area resi- outside. And those tailgaters wouldn’t that the federal government can’t be trust- dents have newly signed up for health cov- such as breast, lung and prostate cancer, they found no risk reduction have to worry because Obamacare covers ed to keep its funding commitment to the from aspirin use. erage, out of about 51,000 uninsured peo- indigestion from too many brats.” states. Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick ple who were eligible to enroll. The city’s The research was based on observational studies, so it is not as Lambeau Field is the home of the NFL’s said Thursday that due to Walker’s entitle- strong as a randomized controlled trial. sign-up ratio was the highest among the Green Bay Packers. Obama also faulted ment reforms, everyone in poverty is cov- 20 cities competing in the president’s Aspirin also carries certain risks, such as bleeding and stroke, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for refusing ered through Medicaid, without exposing cannot be tolerated by everyone. — AFP “Healthy Communities Challenge.” The federal funding to expand Medicaid, an taxpayers to potential liability. — AP information SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers use seats

Arrival Flights on Saturday 5/3/2016 KAC 502 Beirut 18:00 FDB 056 Dubai 10:35 Airlines Flt Route Time FDB 063 Dubai 18:05 QTR 1071 Doha 11:00 MSC 415 Sohag 00:05 JZR 177 Dubai 18:20 KAC 165 Rome/Paris 11:00 KLM 413 Amsterdam/Dammam 00:20 ABY 123 Sharjah 18:45 OMA 642 Muscat 11:05 JZR 267 Beirut 00:30 QTR 1080 Doha 18:55 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 JZR 539 Cairo 00:40 IRA 669 Mashhad 18:55 KAC 539 Sharm el-Sheikh 11:25 FDB 069 Dubai 00:55 KAC 742 Dammam 19:05 RBG 554 Alexandria 12:00 RJA 642 Amman 01:05 KAC 614 Bahrain 19:10 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:20 THY 772 Istanbul 01:05 IRM 1188 Mashhad 19:15 UAE 874 Dubai 12:30 SAI 441 Lahore 01:30 KAC 774 Riyadh 19:25 NIA 152 Cairo 12:55 DLH 635 Doha 01:35 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 IAW 158 Al Najaf 13:05 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45 KAC 176 Geneva/Frankfurt 19:35 FDB 076 Dubai 13:10 PGT 858 Istanbul 02:00 KAC 618 Doha 19:35 MSC 402 Alexandria 13:30 UAE 853 Dubai 02:30 CLX 856 Luxembourg 19:35 JZR 176 Dubai 13:45 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:30 KAC 104 London 19:40 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 OMA 643 Muscat 02:55 KAC 674 Dubai 19:45 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 FDB 067 Dubai 03:05 MSR 618 Alexandria 20:05 JZR 324 Al Najaf 14:25 MSR 612 Cairo 03:10 KNE 480 Taif 20:10 FBA 832 Al Najaf 14:40 QTR 1076 Doha 03:15 JZR 189 Dubai 20:15 KNE 481 Taif 14:50 KKK 6507 Istanbul 03:20 FDB 061 Dubai 20:20 PAL 669 Dubai/Manila 14:55 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:25 OMA 647 Muscat 20:20 MSR 576 Sharm el-Sheikh 14:55 JZR 503 Luxor 04:25 KAC 786 Jeddah 20:30 KAC 785 Jeddah 15:00 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:40 ABY 121 Sharjah 20:35 KAC 673 Dubai 15:00 THY 770 Istanbul 05:55 FDB 5053 Dubai 20:50 FDB 058 Dubai 15:10 FDB 5061 Dubai 06:30 DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:55 QTR 1079 Doha 15:10 BAW 157 London 06:40 JAI 572 Mumbai 20:55 GFA 222 Bahrain 15:25 JZR 529 Asyut 06:50 QTR 1088 Doha 21:00 JZR 188 Dubai 15:40 PAL 668 Manila/Dubai 06:55 MEA 402 Beirut 21:20 KAC 617 Doha 15:45 KAC 416 Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur 07:15 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:20 KAC 613 Bahrain 15:50 KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 07:20 ALK 229 Colombo 21:25 KAC 773 Riyadh 15:50 KAC 204 Lahore 07:40 UAE 859 Dubai 21:40 KAC 741 Dammam 15:55 QTR 1086 Doha 07:40 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 KNE 463 Madinah 16:00 FDB 053 Dubai 07:45 KAC 676 Dubai 21:45 KNE 473 Jeddah 16:05 KAC 302 Mumbai 07:50 QTR 1082 Doha 22:00 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:25 KAC 382 Delhi 08:00 KLM 415 Amsterdam 22:05 OMA 646 Muscat 16:30 KAC 206 Islamabad 08:25 AIC 987 Chennai/Hyderabad 22:25 NIA 252 Alexandria 16:30 KAC 352 Kochi 08:30 ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:25 JAD 302 Amman 16:40 KAC 344 Chennai 08:30 KAC 564 Amman 22:25 KAC 563 Amman 16:45 UAE 855 Dubai 08:40 FDB 059 Dubai 22:30 KAC 675 Dubai 17:00 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:00 JZR 185 Dubai 23:15 JZR 266 Beirut 17:05 KAC 284 Dhaka 09:10 FDB 071 Dubai 23:45 KNE 475 Jeddah 17:25 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:20 THY 764 Istanbul 23:50 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:30 QTR 1070 Doha 09:25 JZR 125 Bahrain 23:55 FDB 052 Dubai 17:35 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 JAI 574 Mumbai 23:55 QTR 1073 Doha 17:40 OMA 641 Muscat 10:05 MSC 403 Asyut 23:55 UAE 858 Dubai 17:45 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 JZR 538 Cairo 17:45 UAE 873 Dubai 11:05 Departure Flights on Saturday 5/3/2016 RJA 641 Amman 17:55 Airlines Flt Route Time RBG 553 Alexandria 11:15 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 AIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 IAW 157 Al Najaf 11:50 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 JZR 528 Asyut 00:05 NIA 151 Cairo 11:55 JZR 184 Dubai 18:40 BBC 044 Dhaka 00:10 FDB 075 Dubai 12:25 KNE 471 Jeddah 18:45 PIA 240 Sialkot 00:40 MSC 401 Alexandria 12:30 MSR 615 Cairo 18:50 FDB 072 Dubai 00:40 JZR 241 Amman 12:50 JZR 238 Amman 18:50 MSC 502 Alexandria 00:55 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 JZR 554 Alexandria 19:10 JAI 573 Mumbai 00:55 MSR 610 Cairo 13:00 FDB 064 Dubai 19:20 MSC 416 Sohag 01:00 FBA 831 Al Najaf 13:30 ABY 124 Sharjah 19:25 KLM 413 Amsterdam 01:35 JZR 779 Jeddah 13:35 UAE 876 Dubai 19:30 THY 773 Istanbul 02:30 KNE 460 Riyadh 13:50 SVA 505 Jeddah 19:30 SAI 442 Lahore 02:30 MSR 575 Sharm el-Sheikh 13:55 IRA 666 Esfahan 19:55 DLH 635 Frankfurt 02:35 KAC 672 Dubai 14:00 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:45 QTR 1078 Doha 14:10 IRM 1189 Mashhad 20:30 UAE 854 Dubai 03:45 FDB 057 Dubai 14:10 KAC 283 Dhaka 20:35 PGT 859 Istanbul 03:55 GFA 221 Bahrain 14:40 KAC 353 BLR 20:40 OMA 644 Muscat 03:55 JZR 175 Dubai 14:45 KAC 361 Colombo 20:45 FDB 068 Dubai 04:00 KAC 512 Mashhad 14:50 QTR 1081 Doha 20:50 MSR 613 Cairo 04:10 KAC 788 Jeddah 14:50 KAC 351 Kochi 20:50 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:15 KNE 462 Madinah 14:55 KAC 543 Cairo 20:55 KKK 6508 Istanbul 04:20 KNE 472 Jeddah 15:05 CLX 856 Hong Kong 21:05 QTR 1077 Doha 05:00 NIA 251 Alexandria 15:30 MSR 607 Luxor 21:05 THY 765 Istanbul 05:15 OMA 645 Muscat 15:30 JZR 124 Bahrain 21:05 FDB 070 Dubai 06:30 KAC 562 Amman 15:40 KNE 461 Riyadh 21:10 RJA 643 Amman 07:05 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 KAC 331 Trivandrum 21:10 THY 771 Istanbul 07:05 ABY 127 Sharjah 15:45 ABY 122 Sharjah 21:15 FDB 5062 Dubai 07:10 JAD 301 Amman 15:55 OMA 648 Muscat 21:20 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 JZR 535 Cairo 16:10 FDB 062 Dubai 21:20 JZR 240 Amman 07:15 QTR 1072 Doha 16:10 DLH 634 Doha 21:45 JZR 778 Jeddah 07:55 FDB 051 Dubai 16:30 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 FDB 054 Dubai 08:30 JZR 357 Mashhad 16:30 FDB 5054 Dubai 21:50 KAC 511 Mashhad 08:30 JZR 257 Beirut 16:30 JAI 571 Mumbai 21:55 QTR 1087 Doha 08:40 KNE 474 Jeddah 16:35 QTR 1089 Doha 22:00 BAW 156 London 08:45 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:40 KAC 381 Delhi 22:00 JZR 256 Beirut 09:05 RJA 640 Amman 16:55 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:10 KAC 671 Dubai 09:15 KAC 542 Cairo 16:55 KAC 301 Mumbai 22:10 JZR 534 Cairo 09:15 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 ME A403 Beirut 22:20 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:25 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 ALK 230 Colombo 22:25 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:40 KNE 470 Jeddah 17:45 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 UAE 856 Dubai 09:55 KAC 540 Sharm el-Sheikh 17:45 UAE 860 Dubai 22:55 KAC 101 London/New York 09:55 JZR 325 Al Najaf 17:50 KAC 345 Ahmedabad 23:00 KAC 541 Cairo 09:55 MSR 614 Cairo 17:50 QTR 1083 Doha 23:05 KAC 561 Amman 10:00 KAC 118 New York 17:55 KLM 415 Dammam/Amsterdam 23:05 JZR 174 Dubai 10:10 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:55 KAC 205 Islamabad 23:10 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:25 SVA 500 Jeddah 18:00 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:15 KAC 501 Beirut 10:30 UAE 875 Dubai 18:00 FDB 060 Dubai 23:35 JZR 356 Mashhad 10:30 Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (03/03/2016 TO 09/03/2016)

SHARQIA-1 EL AMERICANO: THE MOVIE 5:00 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 2:30 PM ZOOTOPIA 12:45 PM RACE 7:00 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 5:30 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 3:00 PM RACE 9:45 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 8:30 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 5:15 PM RACE 12:30 AM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 11:30 PM ZOOTOPIA 7:15 PM RACE 9:30 PM MARINA-1 AL-KOUT.1 RACE 12:15 AM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 12:15 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:45 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 2:30 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 2:45 PM SHARQIA-2 HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 4:45 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 4:45 PM ACCOMMODATION FOR SALE LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:00 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 7:00 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 6:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 2:00 PM RACE 9:15 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 8:45 PM Room for rent immediately Mercedes Benz E-350, model ZOOTOPIA 4:15 PM RACE 12:05 AM LONDON HAS FALLEN 10:45 PM 2010, single owner, no acci- LONDON HAS FALLEN 6:30 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:45 AM available in Sharhabeel street, LONDON HAS FALLEN 8:30 PM MARINA-2 Hawally for a single/couple dent, well maintained by LONDON HAS FALLEN 10:30 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 11:30 AM AL-KOUT.2 Filipino only. Contact: agency, km 180,000. Mob: LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:30 AM LONDON HAS FALLEN 1:30 PM ZOOTOPIA 1:00 PM 65589910. (C 5140) 5576200. (C 5141) LONDON HAS FALLEN 3:30 PM BACKTRACK 1:30 PM 2-3-2016 3-3-2016 SHARQIA-3 LONDON HAS FALLEN 5:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 3:30 PM RACE 11:30 AM LONDON HAS FALLEN 7:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 5:45 PM RACE 2:15 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 9:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 8:15 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 5:00 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 11:45 PM BACKTRACK 10:30 PM Prayer timings KHALTET OMRY 8:00 PM BACKTRACK 12:30 AM KHALTET OMRY 10:00 PM MARINA-3 Fajr: 04:52 KHALTET OMRY 12:05 AM BACKTRACK 11:30 AM AL-KOUT.3 ZOOTOPIA -3D 1:30 PM RACE 12:15 PM Shorook 06:11 MUHALAB-1 ZOOTOPIA -3D 3:45 PM EL AMERICANO: THE MOVIE 3:00 PM RACE 11:30 AM ZOOTOPIA 6:00 PM EL AMERICANO: THE MOVIE 5:00 PM Duhr: 12:00 ZOOTOPIA 2:15 PM BACKTRACK 8:15 PM RACE 7:00 PM ZOOTOPIA 4:30 PM BACKTRACK 10:15 PM RACE 9:45 PM Asr: 15:20 ZOOTOPIA 6:45 PM BACKTRACK 12:15 AM RACE 12:30 AM RACE 9:00 PM Maghrib: 17:49 RACE 11:45 PM AVENUES-1 AL-KOUT.4 ZOOTOPIA 1:00 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 12:00 PM Isha: 19:06 MUHALAB-2 KHALTET OMRY 3:15 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 2:00 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 12:45 PM KHALTET OMRY 5:15 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 4:00 PM CONTAINMENT 1:30 PM KHALTET OMRY 7:15 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 6:00 PM CONTAINMENT 3:45 PM KHALTET OMRY 9:15 PM KHALTET OMRY 8:00 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 5:45 PM KHALTET OMRY 11:15 PM KHALTET OMRY 10:00 PM NO FRI CONTAINMENT 1:15 AM KHALTET OMRY 12:05 AM KALYANA VAIBHOGAME-Telugu 5:45 PM FRI AVENUES-2 BAIRAQ-1 Sabah Hospital 24812000 CONTAINMENT 8:45 PM THE HOUSE ON PINE STREET 1:15 PM ZOOTOPIA -3D 11:45 AM BACKTRACK 10:30 PM THE HOUSE ON PINE STREET 1:30 PM ZOOTOPIA 2:00 PM Amiri Hospital 22450005 BACKTRACK 12:30 AM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 3:45 PM ZOOTOPIA -3D 4:15 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 5:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 6:30 PM Maternity Hospital 24843100 MUHALAB-3 HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 7:45 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 8:45 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:00 PM THE HOUSE ON PINE STREET 9:45 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 10:45 PM Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700 HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 2:00 PM THE HOUSE ON PINE STREET 12:15 AM LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:45 AM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 4:00 PM Chest Hospital 24849400 HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 6:00 PM AVENUES-3 BAIRAQ-2 LONDON HAS FALLEN 8:00 PM ZOOTOPIA -3D 11:45 AM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 12:30 PM Farwaniya Hospital 24892010 LONDON HAS FALLEN 10:00 PM ZOOTOPIA 2:00 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 1:30 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:05 AM ZOOTOPIA -3D 4:15 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 3:30 PM Adan Hospital 23940620 ZOOTOPIA -3D 6:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 5:30 PM FANAR-1 ZOOTOPIA 9:15 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 7:45 PM Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300 ZOOTOPIA 12:15 PM ZOOTOPIA 11:45 PM CONTAINMENT 9:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 2:30 PM THU+FRI CONTAINMENT 11:45 PM Al-Razi Hospital 24846000 ZOOTOPIA 4:45 PM THE HOUSE ON PINE STREET 11:45 PM ZOOTOPIA 7:00 PM NO THU+FRI BAIRAQ-3 Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9 CONTAINMENT 9:15 PM RACE 12:30 PM CONTAINMENT 11:00 PM AVENUES-4 JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 3:15 PM CONTAINMENT 12:45 AM LONDON HAS FALLEN 11:30 AM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 6:15 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 1:30 PM RACE 9:15 PM FANAR-2 LONDON HAS FALLEN 3:45 PM RACE 12:05 AM Kaizen center 25716707 HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 12:00 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 6:00 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 2:15 PM Special Show “LONDON HAS FALLEN” 6:00 PM PLAZA Rawda 22517733 HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 4:15 PM Special Show “THE REVENANT” 8:15 PM ZOOTOPIA 3:45 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 6:15 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 11:15 PM ACTION HERO BIJU- Malayalam 6:00 PM Adaliya 22517144 BACKTRACK 8:15 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 1:15 AM THU+FRI+SAT BACKTRACK 10:15 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 8:15 PM ZOOTOPIA 6:00 PM Khaldiya 24848075 BACKTRACK 12:15 AM LONDON HAS FALLEN 10:30 PM NO THU+FRI+SAT LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:45 AM LONDON HAS FALLEN 9:00 PM Kaifan 24849807 FANAR-3 LONDON HAS FALLEN 11:00 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 12:30 PM 360º- 1 Shamiya 24848913 KHALTET OMRY 1:30 PM ZOOTOPIA 12:00 PM LAILA JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 3:30 PM ZOOTOPIA -3D 2:30 PM HELP, I SHRUNK MY TEACHER 4:15 PM Shuwaikh 24814507 JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 6:30 PM ZOOTOPIA 5:00 PM ZOOTOPIA 6:15 PM KHALTET OMRY 9:30 PM ZOOTOPIA -3D 7:30 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 8:30 PM Abdullah Salem 22549134 KHALTET OMRY 11:30 PM ZOOTOPIA 10:00 PM RACE 10:30 PM CONTAINMENT 12:30 AM Nuzha 22526804 FANAR-4 AJIAL.1 LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:45 PM 360º- 2 Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764 LONDON HAS FALLEN 2:45 PM BACKTRACK 1:15 PM ACTION HERO BIJU- Malayalam 3:30 PM BACHAANA -Pakistani 3:30 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 4:45 PM BACKTRACK 3:15 PM Qadsiya 22515088 LONDON HAS FALLEN 6:45 PM BACKTRACK 5:15 PM ACTION HERO BIJU- Malayalam 6:15 PM ACTION HERO BIJU- Malayalam 9:00 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 8:45 PM BACKTRACK 7:15 PM Dasmah 22532265 LONDON HAS FALLEN 10:45 PM BACKTRACK 9:15 PM BACHAANA -Pakistani 9:00 PM LONDON HAS FALLEN 12:45 AM BACKTRACK 11:15 PM Bneid Al-Gar 22531908 BACKTRACK 1:15 AM AJIAL.2 FANAR-5 BACHAANA -Pakistani 3:30 PM Shaab 22518752 EL AMERICANO: THE MOVIE 1:00 PM 360º- 3 BACHAANA -Pakistani 6:15 PM EL AMERICANO: THE MOVIE 3:00 PM JAI GANGAAJAL - Hindi 11:30 AM BACHAANA -Pakistani 9:15 PM Qibla 22459381 SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

the heart. Word Search Puzzles 65. The virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). CROSSWORD 1186 67. People having the same social or economic status. 70. A palace and fortress built in Granada by the Moslems in the Middle Ages. 76. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium. 77. Of or relating to a caduceus. 80. An associate degree in applied science. 81. Mythical bird of prey having enormous size and strength. 82. Large arboreal boa of tropical South America. 83. A local and habitual twitching especially in the face. 84. Anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the function of the thyroid gland. 85. A great raja. 86. Hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitressin) and also by nerve endings in the hypothalamus.

DOWN 1. Divulge information or secrets. 2. A small cake leavened with yeast. 3. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike. 4. A drug (trade names Atarax and Vistaril) used as a tranquilizer to treat anxiety and motion sickness. 5. A room equipped with toilet facilities. 6. A person who has lied or who lies repeatedly. 7. The size of a book whose pages are made by folding a sheet of paper three times to form eight leaves. 8. Largest crested screamer. 9. 100 aurar equal 1 krona. ACROSS 10. A state in east central United States. 1. (computer science) A computer that is running software that allows 11. Animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum or embryo together users to leave messages and access information of general interest. with nutritive and protective envelopes. 4. Distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose. 12. A cloth having a crisscross design. 12. A syndrome that occurs in many women from 2 to 14 days before the 13. An irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action. onset of menstruation. 14. Characterized by dignity and propriety. 15. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects. 22. A popular island resort in the Netherlands Antilles. 16. A city in Taiwan. 24. Having undesirable or negative qualities. Yesterday’s Solution 17. A broad flat muscle on either side of the back. 27. A young woman making her debut into society. 18. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth. 29. By bad luck. 19. A new embodiment of a familiar idea. 31. Capital of Armenia. 20. A republic in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea. 32. An avalanche volcanic water and mud down the slopes of a volcano. 21. An imaginary elephant that appears in a series of French books for 34. A state in northwestern North America. children. 37. A radioactive element of the actinide series. 23. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar. 38. A ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic 25. Being one more than two. metallic element. 26. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of 39. Intentional deception resulting in injury to another person. irradiated material. 41. All the plant life in a particular region. 28. A Spanish unit of length (about a yard) having different values in dif- 42. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with veg- ferent localities. etables. 30. Rich and superior in quality. 43. Inspiring awe or admiration or wonder. 33. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters. 45. The inner and longer of the two bones of the human forearm. 35. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa. 47. A populous province in northeastern China. 36. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group. 48. A girl or young woman who is unmarried. 40. Czech novelist who wrote in German about a nightmarish world of 52. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest isolated and troubled individuals (1883-1924). electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal. 44. The most northwestern Hawaiian island (beyond Kauai). 56. United States newspaper publisher (1858-1935). 46. A crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement. 58. An oral drug (trade name Mevacor) to reduce blood cholesterol levels. 49. (often followed by `of') A large number or amount or extent. 59. A ballistic missile that is capable of traveling from one continent to 50. Any of various coarse shrubby plants of the genus Iva with small another. greenish flowers. 62. Mostly black African weaverbird. 51. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily. 64. Wood of a larch tree. 53. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine. 66. The capital and largest city of Yemen. 54. A religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery. 68. A mountainous landlocked communist state in southeastern Asia. 55. A loose skirt consisting of brightly colored fabric wrapped around the 69. A fraudulent business scheme. body. 71. A Russian river. 57. A bachelor's degree in music. 72. A pilgrimage to Mecca. 60. A colorless explosive liquid that is volatile and poisonous and foul- 73. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad. smelling. 74. A sudden short attack. 61. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light. 75. United States writer (born in Poland) who wrote in Yiddish (1880- 63. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a 1957). blood vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the 78. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods. blocked section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to 79. Fiddler crabs.

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution Yesterday’s Solution SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Ducks set new straight games mark

GLENDALE: Corey Perry had a goal and two assists and Jamie McGinn and Rickard Rakell scored on Anaheim’s first two shots as the Ducks tied a franchise record with their 10th straight victory, routing Arizona 5-1 on Thursday night. Cam Fowler and Josh Manson also scored, and Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots as Anaheim stayed atop the Pacific Division. The Ducks matched the 2013-14 team’s winning streak despite injured captain Ryan Getzlaf’s absence. Anthony Duclair scored, and Niklas Treutle allowed five goals on 16 shots in his first NHL start for the Coyotes in their seventh straight loss.

LIGHTNING 4, SENATORS 1 Ben Bishop made 33 saves as the Tampa Bay Lightning tied a franchise record with their eighth straight victory. Cedric Paquette, Ondrej Palat, Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos - into an empty net - scored for the Lightning, who wrapped up a four- game road trip. Marc Methot scored the lone goal for the Ottawa Senators. Andrew Hammond, making his first start since February 11, made 25 saves.

PENGUINS 4, RANGERS 1 Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist each scored in the final 2:13 of the second period, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins past the New York Rangers. Malkin added two assists and Phil Kessel scored into an empty net for the Penguins, PITTSBURGH: New York Rangers’ Viktor Stalberg (25) collides with Pittsburgh Penguins’ Kevin Porter (11) during the first who frustrated Rangers goaltender Henrik period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Porter was injured on the play and left the Lundqvist midway through the second and chased him with a three-goal flurry at the game. — AP end of the period. Marc-Andre Fleury SABRES 6, FLAMES 3 rebound and shot it in past Michael and his 1,107 assists are sixth. Matt stopped 27 shots for the Penguins and is Johan Larsson scored the go-ahead goal Hutchinson. Calvin de Haan, Shane Prince Duchene and Mikkel Boedker also scored one away from becoming the 20th goalie in with 9:31 left and Marcus Foligno had a goal and Anders Lee also scored, and Thomas and Tyson Barrie had two assists for NHL history to reach 350 wins. Chris Kreider and two assists in the Buffalo Sabres’ win Greiss stopped 26 shots as the Islanders Colorado. Brian Campbell and Erik scored his 14th for the Rangers, whose over the Calgary Flames. The loss extended improved to 5-1 on their season-high sev- Gudbranson had the goals for Florida, and three-game win streak ended. Calgary’s skid to 0-6-1 and dropped it into en-game road trip that concludes Sunday Roberto Luongo had 23 saves. last place in the Western Conference. Jack against the crosstown-rival New York BRUINS 4, BLACKHAWKS 2 Eichel, Nicolas Deslauriers, Rasmus Rangers. Mark Scheifele had two goals and SHARKS 3, CANUCKS 2 Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand Ristolainen and Evander Kane, with an emp- Tyler Myers also scored for the Jets, who Patrick Marleau scored the go-ahead each had a goal and an assist to help lead ty-netter, also scored in helping Buffalo have lost six straight at home. goal in the third period as the San Jose the Boston Bruins over the Chicago extend its home dominance over Calgary. Sharks won their third straight, beating the Blackhawks. Ryan Spooner and Loui The Sabres improved to 10-0-2 in their past DEVILS 5, PREDATORS 4, OT Vancouver Canucks. Brent Burns and Tomas Eriksson also had goals for Boston, which 12 home games against the Flames, with Adam Henrique forced overtime with a Hertl had a goal and an assist each for the won for the fifth time in seven games. The their last regulation loss a 3-1 defeat on goal, then scored 1:54 into the extra period Sharks, who rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to Bruins now prepare to face the March 15, 1996. Sean Monahan and Dougie on the power play as the New Jersey Devils remain third in the Pacific Division. Martin Washington Capitals, the NHL’s points Hamilton each had a goal and an assist, and snapped the Nashville Predators’ five-game Jones made 28 saves for San Jose. Jake leader, on Saturday, before heading out on Mikael Backlund also scored for the Flames. winning streak. Henrique’s wrister tied it Virtanen and Sven Baertschi scored for the the road for six of the next eight games. Calgary dropped its sixth consecutive road with 39.7 seconds left, and his 22nd goal Canucks, who have lost three straight and Jonathan Toews and Thomas Fleischmann game. The Flames’ winless streak is their this season - 12 seconds after Nashville took fell 10 points behind Minnesota and scored for Chicago, which has dropped longest since going 0-7-1 in December a delay of game penalty - led the Devils to Colorado for the second wild-card berth in three of its last five and 6 of 10, but the 2014. their first win in four games. Travis Zajac the Western Conference. Western Conference leaders remained two also scored in the third, Kyle Palmieri had a points ahead of Dallas and St Louis, who WILD 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1 power-play goal and two assists, and KINGS 3, CANADIENS 2 were idle. Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund scored Devante Smith-Pelly also had a goal and an Anze Kopitar and Tanner Pearson scored power-play goals to lead the Minnesota assist in his New Jersey debut. Filip Forsberg less than 3 minutes apart early in the first OILERS 4, FLYERS 0 Wild past the Toronto Maple Leafs. Devan had a goal and two assists, and Craig Smith period and Dwight King scored on a break- Taylor Hall, Nail Yakupov, Patrick Maroon Dubnyk had 21 saves for the Wild, who hold and Mike Ribeiro each scored power-play away in the third, leading the Los Angeles and Lauri Korpikoski all scored, and Cam the second wild-card playoff spot in the goals and added an assist. The Predators set Kings over the Montreal Canadiens. The vic- Talbot made 35 saves to lead Edmonton to Western Conference. Jake Gardiner gave a franchise record with a point in their 11th tory kept the Kings tied for the Pacific its third straight victory. Talbot, in his ninth the Leafs the lead early in the second period straight game (7-0-4). Division lead with the Anaheim Ducks, who straight start, earned his second shutout of and Garret Spars - making his second start come to Staples Center for a Saturday mati- the season and 10th of his career. Top rook- since being recalled from Toronto of the AVALANCHE 3, PANTHERS 2 nee. Jonathan Quick finished with 13 saves ie Connor McDavid had an assist in his first AHL last weekend, finished with 20 saves. Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and an in the opener of a five-game homestand. He game versus the Flyers since being injured assist and Calvin Pickard made 24 of his 38 handed the Canadiens their only shutout against them in Philadelphia’s 4-2 win at ISLANDERS 4, JETS 3, OT saves in the third period to lift the Colorado loss of the season on Dec. 17, making a sea- Edmonton on Nov. 3. The 2015 No. 1 overall Kyle Okposo scored off a quirky rebound Avalanche over the Florida Panthers. son-high 45 saves in a 3-0 victory. PK pick missed 37 games after breaking his 2:20 into overtime to lift the New York Jaromir Jagr had an assist on Florida’s first Subban and Lars Eller scored and Andrei clavicle when he was ridden hard into the Islanders over the Winnipeg Jets. New goal to tie Gordie Howe for third in career Markov had two assists for the Canadiens, boards by Philadelphia’s Brandon Manning, York’s Frans Nielsen blasted the puck points with 1,850. He is 37 points behind who are 11-25-3 following a 19-4-3 start who watched from the press box as a toward the net, but it hit Jets forward Mark Messier for second. Jagr, in his 22nd that included a season-opening nine-game healthy scratch. Nikolaj Ehlers in the face. Okposo got the season, also ranks third in goals with 743 winning streak.— AP SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Piercy, Fraser set pace with 66s at Doral Mickelson one off pace after shooting 67

MIAMI: American Scott Piercy and Marcus the first of the year’s four elite World Golf ber but I beat it today.” American Spieth grip. “It’s the first day competitively with Fraser of Australia upstaged the biggest Championships events while world number attracted the biggest galleries of the day in a bit of a new grip with the putting. names in the game as they charged into a one Jordan Spieth carded a 69. a high-profile grouping with second- Disappointed with the finish, just get out tie for the lead after the opening round of “It’s very demanding off the tee, there’s ranked Australian Jason Day and third- there tomorrow, try to pick up those the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami trouble on every single hole, so you have to ranked Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. shots quickly again and start from there.” on Thursday. Piercy and Fraser fired match- stand up and really commit to a shot,” Day offset four birdies with four Piercy, a three-times winner on the PGA ing six-under-par 66s on the daunting Blue Spieth told Golf Channel after carding five bogeys to return a 72 while McIlroy spoilt Tour, twice got to seven under but twice Monster course at the Trump National birdies and two bogeys. “And it’s not done an encouraging start week when he dou- slipped back as he recorded two bogeys Doral Resort, ending the day a stroke in from there. A lot of times we play courses ble-bogeyed his final hole, the par-three in five holes over the tough closing front of five-times major winner Phil where there is a miss (for the green) where ninth, to shoot a 71. “I was leaving a lot stretch. “The last five holes, I was a little Mickelson, who birdied four of his last nine you can still make par but on quite a few of putts short. But I guess to be expect- off,” said the 37-year-old American. “I holes. Englishman Danny Willett, Australian holes out here you just can’t miss it. “I’m ed,” said four-times major winner had the wind off my left which some- Adam Scott and Americans Jason Dufner very pleased to get in under par on this golf McIlroy, who this week switched to an times isn’t my favorite and just hit a cou- and Charley Hoffman opened with 68s in course. This course normally gets my num- unconventional cross-handed putting ple of weird shots.” — Reuters

Jang and Lee lead as Ko slips back in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Top-ranked Lydia Ko card- ed an ugly 74 as she slipped nine shots off the pace set by South Koreans Jang Ha-Na and Lee Mi-Rim at the HSBC Women’s Champions yesterday. The 18- year-old, seeking her first win at the tournament in Singapore, has much ground to make up at the par-72 Sentosa course after an unsatisfying first two rounds. Defending champion Park In-Bee was also five shots back from Jang and Lee, who fired 66 and 67 respectively for matching aggregate scores of 136. Park, who didn’t card a single bogey as she romped to the title last year, struggled to a 73 on another windy day at the resort island course. Jang shot to the top of the NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans Pelicans guard Norris Cole (30) takes the ball away from San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills during the leaderboard after shooting four birdies first half of an NBA basketball game on Thursday, March 3, 2016. — AP and an eagle on the par-five seventh, before Lee joined her at the top. Curry leads Warriors to “First round and second round, two eagles, so I feel very comfortable,” said Jang. “Today I’m very comfortable on the front nine and I told myself, ‘Don’t do too 44th straight home win much thinking, just be patient. There are two more days, so I have to concentrate OAKLAND: Stephen Curry and the Golden State Westbrook had 22 and Serge Ibaka added 20 for which led by as many as 21 in the first half. Rookie more.” Like Jang, Lee had a flawless day Warriors matched one record set by Michael the Thunder, who have lost six of eight since the guard Devin Booker kept the Suns in the game, and carded five birdies to move six Jordan’s Chicago Bulls as they closed in on the All-Star break. scoring 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter. places to the top. But the windy condi- bigger mark. Curry scored 33 points in his return Alex Len had 12 points and 13 rebounds for tions affected her drives and she said she from an ankle injury and the Warriors tied SPURS 94, PELICANS 86 Phoenix, which tied a club record by losing its 17th had to be sharper on the greens. Chicago’s NBA record by winning their 44th Kawhi Leonard capped a 30-point, 11-rebound consecutive road game. The Suns have dropped Lee said: “I feel that my swing right straight regular-season home game, 121-106 over performance with a huge 3-pointer in the final 30 of 33 overall. now is not good, but my short game is the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. minute as the San Antonio Spurs extended their better and I am scoring well.” Norway’s “That’s an amazing accomplishment,” Curry said. winning streak to seven games with a 94-86 victo- KINGS 104, MAVERICKS 101 Suzann Pettersen and Pornanong “It’s a compliment to us as a team, our coaching ry over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday Rajon Rondo had 18 points and 12 assists in his Phatlum of Thailand are trailing the staff and obviously our fans who bring that night. LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and first game in Dallas since an ugly split with the leading pair by a stroke. Pettersen, who atmosphere every night to give us the ultimate Danny Green scored 11 for the Spurs, who trailed Mavericks last season as Sacramento ended a 22- fired 69 to go with her opening round of home-court advantage.” Five days after tying the 86-82 before closing the game on a 12-0 run dur- game regular-season losing streak on his old 68, said she was in a good position NBA record with 12 3-pointers in an overtime win ing the final 3:10. Leonard was 12-of-22 shooting, home floor. Booed almost every time he touched heading into the weekend. “I’ve been at Oklahoma City, Curry went 5 of 15 from long including 6 for 10 from 3-point range. The the ball, Rondo was the steady hand the Kings playing some solid golf, hitting good range in the rematch. Pelicans missed their last six shots and allowed needed late. He missed a January loss at Dallas golf shots and maneuvering myself But he got more than enough help from his the Spurs to grab a pair of critical offensive when Sacramento blew a lead in double overtime around this golf course in a pretty easy bench to help the Warriors (55-5) move 50 games rebounds that led to five second-chance points to keep alive the Mavericks’ longest home win- way,” said Pettersen. “I’m hitting the ball above .500 in their quest to break the Bulls’ single- during San Antonio’s game-ending run. ning streak against one opponent. DeMarcus better and better each day, which is for season mark for victories. The Bulls won 44 con- Cousins had 22 points and 13 rebounds as the me my bread and butter usually. It’s nice secutive home games from March 30, 1995, until HEAT 108, SUNS 92 Kings snapped a four-game losing streak with just that I feel comfortable and being able to April 4, 1996. That helped them set the record Dwyane Wade scored 27 points, Goran Dragic their fifth win in the past 17 games. Chandler hit the shots you see and execute. “For with 72 wins in 1995-96, a mark the Warriors added 25 against his former team and Miami nev- Parsons scored 28 to lead the Mavericks, who had me, it’s a good starting point, but still remain on pace to surpass after beating the er trailed on the way to beating Phoenix for its a three-game winning streak snapped in the got a job to do on the weekend.” — AFP Thunder for the third time in as many tries this third straight victory. Luol Deng scored 12 and finale of a six-game homestand, their longest of season. Kevin Durant scored 32 points, Russell Hassan Whiteside grabbed 11 rebounds for Miami, the season. — AP SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

TENNIS Ruthless Russians sink USA confident with rivals in uroleague BELGRADE: Russian clubs enjoyed a perfect week in Euroleague as Moscow rivals Khimki and CSKA as well as Bryans on their side Lokomotiv Krasnodar all won to move closer to the com- petition’s knockout stages. Khimki beat Barcelona 75-61 at home and Lokomotiv defeated Anadolu Efes Istanbul MELBOURNE: Captain Jim Courier 76-61 away on Thursday, after six-time winners CSKA cel- said the heavyweight Bryan brothers ebrated an impressive 96-87 victory at holders Real doubles pairing gave the United States Madrid on Wednesday. the edge over Australia in their Davis Khimki were tied with Barcelona in Group F before the Cup tie with the scores locked at 1-1 game with both sides having won four and lost four of after the opening singles matches yes- their eight matches. The Russians, however, blew away terday. Australia’s Bernard Tomic beat the twice former winners after taking a 19-point halftime Jack Sock to level the World Group lead and gained the upper hand in a tight race to reach the last eight. Barcelona fought hard to get back into the round one tie between the great, tra- match after the break but Khimki’s ironclad defense ditional Davis Cup rivals after John restricted the Catalan side to only 20 field goals from 61 Isner breezed past Sam Groth in the attempts. “It was one of our best defensive performances first match. Tomic rolled through the of the season, we played tough from the first to the last opening two sets against Sock before minute,” Khimki coach Rimas Kurtinaitis told being forced to battle hard to win 7-6 www.euroleague.net. (7/2), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in sweltering condi- Barcelona, winners in 2003 and 2010, now face an tions at the famous Kooyong centre uphill battle to avoid an early exit in a fiercely competitive court in Melbourne. The victory, in group after another lackluster performance. Six-times sweltering temperatures, was crucial winners CSKA stayed top of Group F, improving to 7-2 for Lleyton Hewitt’s Australians, after after five of their players scored in double figures, led by world number 11 Isner trounced the power forward Kyle Hines, who amassed 16 points. “We 77th-ranked Groth 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2. got another victory in such a tough Top 16 group,” said The retired Hewitt is on standby for CSKA’s Greek coach Dimitris Itoudis. “As I told my players, a possible playing appearance follow- this was another day at work for us. We did good things ing the match-eve withdrawal of star during the game and proved that this CSKA team can youngster Nick Krygios with a virus score regardless what we play offensively.” and back trouble. Courier, who works The Top 16 features two pools of eight, with the top as a television commentator alongside four from each section advancing to the best-of-five quar- Hewitt at the Australian Open, said he ter-final playoff series. The winners will then qualify for the May 13-15 Final Four in Berlin. In Group E, Lokomotiv was confident America held the whip took a big step towards the playoffs after guard Malcolm hand with doubles specialists Bob and Delaney sank 19 points and fellow American centre Mike Bryan, who are multiple Grand Anthony Randolph added 17 against Anadolu Efes Slam champions. “Bob and Mike seem Istanbul. They are second in the pool with a 7-2 record, to be at an advantage in the historical behind Fenerbahce Istanbul, who have seven wins and count of doubles in Davis Cup, but one defeat ahead of their home game against Red Star every day is a different day,” Courier Belgrade yesterday. Panathinaikos Athens, who have six said. “They’ve played awfully well. We titles, boosted their hopes of progressing with a 76-58 feel confident in them, but we don’t win at Unicaja Malaga. — Reuters take anything for granted. We’ll be ready to go-but I love having them on our side.” SWIMMING ‘Anything can happen’ Phelps kicks off Orlando Hewitt, in his first Davis Cup as cap- tain after retiring at the Australian meet with 100m fly win Open in January, was giving little away about his selection options for the MIAMI: Olympic superstar Michael Phelps kicked off the doubles, even about his own chances Orlando Pro Swim meet Thursday with a victory in the 100m of playing a role. “We haven’t spoken butterfly in 52.28sec. Phelps, hoping to add to his stunning about it yet,” he said. “The Bryans obvi- tally of 18 Olympic gold medals at the Rio Games in August, ously are the favourites tomorrow in swam the first 50m in 24.62sec and held off fellow American the doubles. But I still think our guys Tom Shields for the victory. Shields clocked 52.35, with have got a good shot at it, and then on Brazilian Henrique Martins third in 52.59. Germany’s Aliena the last day anything can happen.” Schmidtke won the women’s 100m fly in 59.94. Yuliya Hewitt has until an hour before the Efimova of Russia produced a season’s best of 1:05.70 in win- doubles tie to finalise his combination ning the women’s 100m breaststroke. and choose between the team’s dou- In the men’s 100m breaststroke, Brazil’s Joao Gomes bles specialist John Peers, Groth and edged American Josh Prenot at the wall, winning in 1:00.64 to himself. Earlier Tomic, ranked 20, sent Prenot’s 1:00.66. Brazil’s Felipe Lima was third in 1:00.73. Katie Ledecky won the 200m freestyle in a time of 1:55.73 — sec- tremors through the Australian camp ond-fastest in the world this year behind the 1:54.43 she post- when he hit a flat spot during the third ed in Austin in January. “It felt pretty good,” Ledecky said. “I set of his tie, inviting world number 24 guess it was about where I thought I would be time-wise. I Sock back into the match and a fourth worked this morning and this afternoon on some of the set. details I’ve been working on around my turns. I was pleased But Tomic rallied and broke the with how I put it all together.” American in the ninth game and Missy Franklin, winner of four gold medals at the 2012 served out for a four-set win on the MELBOURNE: John Isner of the United States hits an overhead volley return to London Olympics, was second in 1:57.67 and Allison Schmitt grass of Kooyong, former venue for Australia’s Samuel Groth during their Davis Cup singles match in Melbourne was third in 1:58.18. The women’s 400m individual medley the Australian Open. “It was very yesterday. — AP went to world championships silver medallist Maya DiRado, tough out there. I haven’t beaten Sock whose time of 4:36.82 made her the fourth-fastest this sea- before so I knew that it was going to Earlier Isner’s serve was too strong for take the opening set in a tiebreaker 7- son. Vietnam’s Vien Nguyen was second in 4:39.64 ahead of be tough,” Tomic said. “But playing Groth and he wrapped up the contest 2. The beanpole American smashed 20 American Becca Mann (4:40.44). Freestyle queen Ledecky was him on a (grass) surface where I could in one hour 49 minutes. Isner served aces as Groth’s game deteriorated and fourth in 4:40.95. American Chase Kalisz won the men’s 400m beat him on I was very happy because his way out of three break points posed an early selection dilemma for medley in 4:15.36, with South Africa’s Sebastien Rousseau the conditions were very tough.” down in the first set to confidently new Australian captain Hewitt. — AFP second in 4:20.06. — AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Heads of KSF on their way to General Assembly meeting. Al-Otaibi and Al-Osaimi pictured during the ASF General Assembly. Kuwait shooters shine at Amir Grand Prix

By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Women Trap shooter Shahad Al-Hawal won the first gold medal for Kuwait yesterday - followed by Sara Al- Hawal who won silver, while Egypt’s Suzan Gaber took the bronze. In the Men’s Trap, Kuwait’s Abdelrahman Al-Faihan was up to the task - winning the gold medal in a hard fought competition. Lebanon’s Walid Alnajjar won silver while Kuwait’s Talal Al- Rashidi won bronze. Today, there will be a gold medal up for grab in the Women’s Skeet event, while men’s official PET will also take place today. Meanwhile, Presidents of the Arab Shooting Federations thanked HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah for his unlimited support in shoot- ing sport, which helped raise its status at the world level. He said this during the Ordinary General Assembly meeting that Shahad Al-Hawal celebrates was chaired by President of Arab and her gold medal Kuwait Shooting Federations Eng Duaij Khalaf Al-Otaibi. The Arab Shooting Sport Assembly, which helped issue several Assembly meeting was attended by Shahad Al-Hawal said she did not expect leaders appreciated the major role Kuwait important decisions. Al-Otaibi said that the Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, Tunis, Algeria, Saudi to win gold in the Trap Event, adding that is playing to boost the sport in the Arab ASF General Assembly discussed the latest Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, when she participates in events she only world. preparations by the Egyptian federation to Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and thinks about practicing her hobby - shoot- Eng Al-Otaibi lauded the warn and host the Arab Shooting Championship (to Mauritania. Libya and Yemen could not ing. She said the competition was hard brotherly atmosphere during the General be held at the end of March). The General attend. Kuwait’s outstanding shooter and of international standard.

Kuwait’s Al-Faihan celebrates after winning a gold medal. Kuwait’s Al-Mudhaf seen with Egypt’s Franco. SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

Leicester hope to capitalize on EPL title rivals’ mistakes

WATFORD: Following a week of contrasting emo- “We broke a resilient side down twice. They not going to let a point at home dampen any confi- tions, surprise leaders Leicester City head for scored two goals as well but we can take positives. dence in the camp.” Watford today back in the driving seat in an extraor- “There was a difference between that game and However, Sebastian Proedl believes Watford are dinary Premier League title race. The disappoint- Norwich.” With eight wins and just two defeats on capable of beating the league leaders this weekend ment of a 2-2 draw at home to West Bromwich the road, Leicester will take the best away record in and influencing the title race. Quique Sanchez Albion on Tuesday was followed by the welcome the Premier League to Watford. The Hornets, mean- Flores’ side were unfortunate to leave Old Trafford bonus of seeing title rivals Tottenham Hotspur, while, have won five and lost five of their 14 home empty-handed this week after Juan Mata’s late goal Arsenal and Manchester City all lose 24 hours later. games so Leicester will feel confident of boosting secured a narrow 1-0 victory for Manchester United. The upshot was that the Foxes, despite failing to their hopes of a fairytale title triumph. Leicester beat And Watford defender Proedl said: “Every game take a host of chances to beat West Brom, will travel Watford 2-1 at the King Power Stadium in at Vicarage Road so far this season has been tough to Vicarage Road with their lead at the top of the November but the most memorable meeting for the opponent. So they should be warned. We table extended to three points. between the clubs in recent years came in May want to get a result. “They are big contenders for “That’s football,” said Leicester winger Marc 2013, when Watford triumphed 3-2 over two legs in the title and it is a good opportunity for us to show Albrighton, whose side edged Norwich City 1-0 last a Championship play-off semi-final. how we have improved this season. “Leicester could weekend with a late winner. “I think in the last two win the league. At the beginning everyone was sur- games at home, we have had a massive amount of Firepower prised when they were top but no one is surprised chances to win both games. “It was late on against The Foxes recovered from that setback to win any more.” The manner of defeat to United may Norwich to get the win but on Tuesday we kept push- promotion to the Premier League a year later and have been frustrating but Proedl is convinced his ing to the end and that was important. “We had now have their sights set on lifting the trophy in just side’s performance demonstrated how far they have chances with the last kick of the game but it just wasn’t their second season back in the top flight. “It is come this season. “Maybe we can collect some to be.” Albrighton’s team-mate Danny Drinkwater, going to be a really tough place to go,” Albrighton points against Leicester that we missed against who netted against Albion, added: “Tuesday was a said. “Watford have showed what a good side they United,” added the Austrian. “The best games are point in the right direction. “We’re slightly disappoint- are this season. “They have got some great players, when you challenge the best. It is why we are here ed not to get the three points but I feel we have played some firepower up top, but we will be confident as in the Premier League, to compete against the well and we can take a lot of positives into today. ever. “The season we have had is fantastic. We are best.”— AFP

UEFA set to introduce goal-line technology

PARIS: UEFA will introduce goal-line technology to its competitions in time for this season’s Champions League and Europa League finals, European foot- ball’s governing body announced yes- terday. A decision to bring in the tech- nology (GLT) in time for Euro 2016 and for next season’s Champions League had already been announced in January, but will now also be in place for the Champions League final in Milan on May 28 and the Europa League showpiece in Basel, Switzerland, on May 18. The technology, which determines whether the ball has completely crossed the line, is already used in the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, the German Bundesliga and Ligue 1 in France. World governing body FIFA also brought it in for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after a series of successful trials. UEFA confirmed in January that GLT would be used in the European Championship in France in June and July and in the Champions League from FLORIDA: United States’ Crystal Dunn (16) fights off the defense of England’s Demi Stokes during the second half of a SheBelieves Cup next season, and added that it would women’s soccer match on Thursday, March 3, 2016. — AP likely ultimately be extended to all UEFA competitions. However, former general secretary Dunn powers USA Gianni Infantino, now the FIFA presi- dent, has admitted that fitting all grounds with the necessary technology LOS ANGELES: Crystal Dunn and the reigning World Cup champion tournament title on US soil. would be a logistical headache, particu- USA got off to a flying start with a win in their opening game of the The six-match competition features many of the world’s top players larly in a competition as extensive as the inaugural SheBelieves Cup tournament on Thursday. Dunn’s goal in and includes three teams that made the final four of last year’s Europa League. Even in countries where the 72nd minute was all the US national women’s team would need in Women’s World Cup. In the other game Thursday, Germany scored a the technology is already in place, a dif- a 1-0 victory over world number five England at Raymond James late second half goal to defeat France 1-0. Right back Leonie Maier ferent system is used in France to that Stadium in Tampa, Florida. pounced on a loose ball and scored in the 83rd minute after France used in England, Germany and Italy. Dunn took a short pass from teammate Meghan Klingenberg and failed to clear a corner kick from the right side. It was the sixth goal of UEFA have said that, in conjunction spun away from a defender before hammering a right footed shot into Maier’s international career. Thursday’s matches were the first of three with GLT, they will continue to use addi- the upper corner of the net. Her goal came less than 10 minutes after doubleheaders. The Americans square off against France and Germany tional assistant referees to monitor she entered the game as a substitute. The new women’s international faces England in round two tomorrow. The tournament concludes activity in each penalty area.— AFP soccer event kicked off Thursday as four of the top five ranked teams Wednesday with the USA meeting Germany and England battling in the world - USA, England, France and Germany - compete for the France. — AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016

German League Preview Dortmund out to trim Bayern’s lead

BERLIN: Germany’s top two clubs go head to Bayern, Guardiola has a league rival breathing Shoot-out head today with hosts Borussia Dortmund out to down his neck. “This Borussia Dortmund team A sub-plot to the showdown sees the league’s German Bundesliga table ignite the Bundesliga title race by further trim- is completely different to the last three years,” top three scorers shooting it out in Dortmund. ming the lead of Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich. said the Spaniard after losing to Mainz. “We Bayern’s Lewandowski tops the list with 23 goals BERLIN: German Bundesliga table ahead of Bayern seemed to be running away with a fourth will have to fight until the last game and the in his 23 games while Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick this weekend’s games (played, won, drawn, straight league title, and enjoyed an eight-point last second.” The Dortmund camp has sniffed Aubameyang is just one behind with 22. lost, goals for, goals against, points): lead over second-placed Dortmund, until Mainz weakness in their rivals. “Let’s not beat about Munich’s Thomas Mueller has also scored a high- slammed on the brakes with a shock 2-1 win at the bush-we want to cut the gap to two ly respectable 17 league goals. Between them, Bayern Munich 24 20 2 2 59 13 62 the Allianz Arena on Wednesday. points,” said Dortmund captain Mats Mueller and Lewandowski have 40 league goals. Dortmund 24 18 3 3 59 25 57 It was only Bayern’s second league defeat of Hummels. They are just 14 short of the league record part- Hertha Berlin 24 12 6 6 33 24 42 the season. Dortmund’s 2-0 win at Darmstadt the “Today is going to be a brilliant game, nership of 54 set by Wolfsburg pair Edin Dzeko M’gladbach 24 12 3 9 49 40 39 same night meant Bayern’s lead was cut to five we’ll be really up for it.” Guardiola has a and Grafite in 2009.”You sometimes get games points and adds spice to an already mouth- longer injury list than Dortmund coach (like the Mainz defeat), but it will be different in Mainz 05 24 12 3 9 34 30 39 watering clash at Borussia’s Signal Iduna Park, but Thomas Tuchel, who is only missing centre- Dortmund,” promised Lewandowski ominously. Schalke 04 24 11 5 8 34 31 38 the Bavarians remain favorites. When the sides back Sokratis from his first-choice line-up. There will be a relegation battle royale when Bayer 24 10 5 9 33 3035 met last October, Bayern dealt Dortmund a 5-1 Injuries to Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez Werder Bremen, who stunned Bayer Leverkusen VfL Wolfsburg 24 9 7 8 36 31 34 thrashing in Munich. Bayern have won four of the and Holger Badstuber have forced Guardiola 4-1 on Wednesday thanks to veteran Claudio Ingolstadt 04 24 8 7 9 18 25 31 last five league meetings including victories in to convert left-back David Alaba into a cen- Pizarro’s hat-trick, host bottom side Hanover 96. Cologne 24 7 9 8 25 30 30 both of their last two visits to Dortmund. tre-back alongside Mehdi Benatia. But Bremen remain just one place above the bottom Hamburg 24 7 7 10 28 34 28 Dortmund’s single Bundesliga victory over Guardiola has an embarrassment of riches in three while Hanover, who have playmaker VfB Stuttgart 24 8 4 12 35 48 28 Bayern in the last four years was a 3-0 thumping midfield with Franck Ribery back from injury Hiroshi Kiyotake back from injury, are seven Augsburg 24 6 7 11 27 35 25 in Munich in April 2014 when Guardiola’s side and Germany’s World Cup winner Mario points from safety and desperately need to win. Darmstadt 24 6 7 11 25 38 25 had already won the league title with a record Goetze unable to get a game. Whether he Second-bottom Hoffenheim will be looking to Werder Bremen24 6 6 12 31 47 24 seven games to spare. plays or not, Goetze, like fellow ex-Borussia build on their 2-1 win over Augsburg when they E’ Frankfurt 24 5 8 11 27 39 23 star Robert Lewandowski, can expect a travel to Stuttgart, who are winless in their last Guardiola under pressure another hostile reception from home fans three games after a surge which carried them up Hoffenheim 24 4 9 11 25 3721 But for the first time in his three seasons at on his return to Dortmund. to mid-table. — AFP Hanover 96 24 5 2 17 21 42 17

Italian League Preview Spanish League Preview Pressure cranked up Minnows Eibar next on on title-chasing Juve rampant Barca’s radar

MILAN: Just as Juventus have overhauled three points behind Juventus who will MADRID: European champions Barcelona can Madrid derby last weekend when they host pace-setters Napoli in the race for the Serie have important commitments, and if I were take another step closer to a sixth La Liga title Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu. Cristiano A title, the Italian leaders are under increas- at Napoli I’d be thinking about maintaining in eight years when they travel to the humble Ronaldo eased the backlash against his com- ing pressure as they head to Atalanta concentration,” he said. “They’ve been surroundings of Eibar’s 6,000 capacity Ipurua ments after the derby pinning the blame on tomorrow. The defending champions qual- strong, in four games we’ll see how the tomorrow. Barca are on a record 35-game his teammates for Madrid’s poor season to ified for the Italian Cup final beating Inter table looks.” Napoli midfielder Marek unbeaten streak stretching back to October to date with a goal and an assist in Real’s 3-1 win Milan after extra-time and penalties on Hamsik feels the same way about his side’s put them well on course to repeat the treble of at Levante in midweek. And Zidane should Wednesday in what was described as a title chances. “February was a difficult league, Cup and Champions League they won have a far stronger squad to choose from for dreadful performance-by their own play- month, but we played well against Juve last season. The Catalans hold an eight-point the visit of high-flying Celta as captain Sergio ers. “Tonight we played the worst ever and Milan the Bianconeri have a three- lead over Atletico Madrid with eternal rivals Ramos and Dani Carvajal return from suspen- game since I’ve been at Juventus,” said point advantage now, but there are 11 Real Madrid a further four points back in third sion, whilst Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and defender Leonardo Bonucci. “We were rounds left and anything is possible,” he with just 11 games of the league season to go. Marcelo are in contention after varying spells lucky to take it to penalties.” While his side said.—AFP Despite Barca’s incredible run, they had on the sidelines due to injury. lead second-placed Napoli by three points, been far from their best in recent weeks until The game of the weekend sees second- Gazzetta dello Sport reported Thursday Italian Serie A table Lionel Messi scored his 35th hat-trick for the placed Atletico travel to Gary Neville’s that Real Madrid were preparing to pounce club in a 5-1 rout of nine-man Rayo Vallecano Valencia tomorrow. Valencia moved into the for their coach Massimiliano Allegri. MILAN: Italian Serie A table ahead of the on Thursday. “The league isn’t finished, there top half of the table with their fifth win in Meanwhile, Giorgio Chiellini, Claudio weekend’s games (played, won, drawn, are still plenty of points to play for,” warned their last six games in all competitions against Marchisio and Martin Caceres are all out lost, goals for, goals against, points): captain Andres Iniesta. However, coach Luis Malaga in midweek. However, Neville’s men injured for the Atalanta game, but goal- Enrique admitted he was relishing the busi- face a much stiffer task against an Atletico keeper Gianluigi Buffon, striker Mario Juventus 27 19 4 4 48 15 61 ness end of the season. “We are approaching side that hasn’t conceded in five games. Mandzukic and defender Patrice Evra Napoli 27 17 7 3 55 22 58 the final third of the season and the most “Obviously it is a difficult game and we won’t should all be back in action. Goal-shy Roma 27 15 8 4 55 28 53 beautiful part is still to come.” get carried away,” Atletico boss Diego Atalanta managed a draw with Carpi last Fiorentina 27 16 5 6 48 27 53 Barca will be shorn of one of their star Simeone said of his side’s title chances. weekend to avoid getting sucked into a rel- Inter Milan 27 14 6 7 34 25 48 attacking triumvirate in the Basque country as “Above all what matters in football is winning. egation battle, and immediately turned AC Milan 27 13 8 6 39 28 47 Neymar is suspended.But with a first free mid- “We know it is very difficult to see Barcelona their sights to a win over Juventus. “We Sassuolo 27 10 11 6 34 31 41 week since December to come, Enrique is losing matches. We are only thinking about must look forward and try to break this Lazio 27 10 7 10 34 36 37 unlikely to waver too much from his strongest ourselves.” streak of games without a win as soon as Bologna 27 10 5 12 29 31 35 side with full-backs Jordi Alba and Dani Alves Atletico could be boosted by the return of possible,” said their Slovenian midfielder Chievo 27 9 7 11 32 36 34 set to return. Eibar have punched well above Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco after three Jasmin Kurtic, after scoring his first goal for Empoli 27 9 7 11 33 40 34 their weight in just their second ever season weeks out with ankle ligament damage, but the club in the 1-1 draw at Carpi. “We con- Torino 27 8 8 11 33 34 32 in the top-flight to sit eighth in the table. inspirational defender Diego Godin is a doubt ceded little or nothing in that match and Atalanta 27 7 9 11 26 31 30 However, they have lost six of their last seven with a hamstring injury. Villarreal hold a com- created some opportunities we can build Udinese 27 8 6 13 24 40 30 games. “We are having a significantly poorer manding nine-point advantage over Sevilla in on.” Genoa 27 7 7 13 27 32 28 second-half of the season than the first, but I the race for the fourth Champions League Napoli, out of Europe and only three Sampdoria 27 7 7 13 39 46 28 am sure we will turn it around,” coach Jose place and will be expected to stretch their points behind Juventus, received a boost Palermo 27 7 6 14 27 47 27 Luis Mendilibar said after a 1-0 defeat at unbeaten league run to 15 games when Las ahead of their home tie with mid-table Frosinone 27 6 5 16 26 53 23 Sevilla on Wednesday. Palmas visit El Madrigal on Saturday. Sevilla Chievo when former Italy coach Cesare Carpi 27 4 9 14 24 44 21 Real Madrid’s realistic title hopes are all but go in search of their first away win of the sea- Prandelli tipped them to bounce back. Verona 27 2 12 13 24 45 18 over, but Zinedine Zidane’s men will be keen son at struggling Getafe, who have lost their “Napoli are in good shape, they’re only to make amends for defeat to Atletico in the last seven in the league. — AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 Chelsea can secure top 4 finish: Matic

LONDON: Nemanja Matic claims Chelsea can Big games are stretched defensively as Phil Bardsley faces still secure a top four finish if they can secure But centre-back Gary Cahill insists the several weeks out with a calf injury, Geoff ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE a fourth successive Premier League win when impressive form of striker Diego Costa since Cameron has an ankle problem and Ryan Stoke visit Stamford Bridge today. The Blues’ Hiddink took charge means the club is more Shawcross is in Germany seeing a specialist Tottenham v Arsenal 15:45 win at Norwich this week moved last season’s than capable of competing on all fronts. “It is about his back injury.— AFP beIN SPORTS 2 HD champions into the top half of the table for perfect timing to have Costa back to his very Newcastle v Bournemouth 18:00 the first time since August and within eight best with the big games we have coming up. points of fourth placed Manchester City. While He’s scoring goals and long may that continue,” English Premier League table beIN SPORTS their progress may look modest when meas- Cahill said. “I’m sure for a striker if you start scor- Chelsea v Stoke 18:00 ured in league places, Guus Hiddink’s team ing goals, you think you will score every time LONDON: English Premier League table ahead beIN SPORTS 9 HD are undeniably on the rise and remain unbeat- you get on the pitch. He is in that mind-set now. of this weekend’s matches (played, won, Swansea v Norwich 18:00 en in domestic competition since December. “People aren’t talking about him not scoring drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): The manner of recent performances has for three-four games or whatever any more like beIN SPORTS drawn comparisons to some of last season’s earlier in the season. His record is great at the Leicester 28 16 9 3 51 31 57 Southampton v Sunderland 18:00 better displays and with the second leg of the minute, so he feels confident. “Ultimately for us Tottenham 28 15 9 4 49 22 54 beIN SPORTS Champions League last 16 tie with Paris Saint if we have Diego in form and scoring goals, it’s Arsenal 28 15 6 7 44 28 51 Everton v West Ham 18:00 Germain to come next week, they have hit great for the team.” Stoke arrive at Stamford Man City 27 14 5 8 48 31 47 form at exactly the right time. Chelsea interim Bridge in confident mood, having moved above Man Utd 28 13 8 7 37 26 47 beIN SPORTS manager Hiddink is remaining guarded about Chelsea and up to seventh by beating Newcastle West Ham 28 12 10 6 42 31 46 Man City v Aston Villa 18:00 his side’s Premier League ambitions. Blues 1-0 on Wednesday. That was a third successive Stoke 28 12 6 10 30 33 42 beIN SPORTS 2 HD midfielder Matic, though, believes that with victory for Mark Hughes’ side, who are only five Liverpool 27 11 8 8 41 36 41 Watford v Leicester 20:30 the side now lying 10th, they can close the points outside the Champions League positions. Southampton 28 11 7 10 35 28 40 gap to the Champions League places if they Hughes spent three years at Chelsea as a player, Chelsea 28 10 9 9 42 38 39 beIN SPORTS 2 HD can win all of their remaining 10 league and actually featured the last time they lost at Everton 27 9 11 7 49 36 38 games. home to Stoke, in a 1995 League Cup tie. Watford 28 10 7 11 29 29 37 SPANISH LEAGUE “It is very important to win games. We are a The Potters have not won a league match at West Brom 28 9 9 10 29 36 36 big team and have to keep doing this if we are Stamford Bridge since 1974, and their manager Real Madrid v Celta de Vigo 18:00 Crystal Palace 28 9 6 13 31 37 33 to get closer to the first four,” Matic said. “I is keen to put that right. “I had a great time as a Bournemouth 28 8 8 12 32 44 32 beIN SPORTS 3 HD know it’s very difficult to catch them but we player there when they were a mid-table team. Swansea 28 7 9 12 27 37 30 Villarreal v Las Palmas 20:15 will give our best to win every game from now You could see things were starting to roll in the Sunderland 28 6 6 16 34 53 24 beIN SPORTS on. “I know that is very hard, maybe impossi- right direction as I left,” Hughes said. “Going Norwich 28 6 6 16 31 53 24 ble, but in football anything can happen.” back there, we haven’t had the best of times. Getafe CF v Sevilla FC 22:30 Newcastle 27 6 6 15 27 50 24 Chelsea will undoubtedly have one eye on the We’re looking to change that. It will be a good Aston Villa 28 3 7 18 22 51 16 beIN SPORTS meeting with PSG when they will attempt to match up. “We’ve gone there in recent seasons overturn a one-goal first leg deficit. and really haven’t tested them enough.” Stoke Tomorrow Deportivo v Malaga 0:05 Pochettino taunts Arsenal beIN SPORTS Pellegrini warns his ahead of derby showdown ITALIAN LEAGUE misfiring City stars Hellas Verona v Sampdoria 20:00 LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur manager belief that the balance of power in north Mauricio Pochettino has warned Arsene London is about to change. Alexis Sanchez MANCHESTER: Manuel Pellegrini has warned beIN SPORTS Wenger that Arsenal’s wealth of experience hardly helped Arsenal’s predicament when his Manchester City stars there can be no Napoli v Chievo Verona 22:45 will count for nothing in the pressure-packed the Gunners winger publicly questioned his repeat of their woeful defeat at Liverpool if beIN SPORTS 4 HD Premier League title race. Pochettino’s side team-mates’ hunger for success following the they are to revive their slender Premier League host the Gunners today in one of the most dismal Swansea defeat. “I think we can win the title hopes against Aston Villa. City’s 3-0 loss at eagerly anticipated showdowns between Premier League with the players we have. That Anfield was their third league defeat in a row GERMAN LEAGUE these bitter north London rivals for decades. said, we lack a certain hunger,” Sanchez said. and even though they have a game in a hand, Werder Bremen v Hannover 17:30 With second-placed Tottenham currently “We need to step out onto the pitch as if we’re bridging a 10-point gap between themselves and leaders Leicester City over the final two beIN SPORTS three points behind shock leaders Leicester already 1-0 up. We lack self-belief, that we can City and three ahead of third-placed Arsenal, actually be champions.” months of the season will be a monumental Wolfsburg v Monchengladbach 17:30 the latest battle for north London supremacy task. beIN SPORTS 5 HD will have a significant influence on the out- Contrasting emotions The worrying statistic for City is that, despite Augsburg v Bayer 04 17:30 come of both teams’ title bids. Following a week of contrasting emotions, looking good in cup competitions, they have won just one of four league matches since boss beIN SPORTS 4 HD After finishing below Arsenal for the last Leicester head for Watford today back in the 20 years, Tottenham are finally in position to driving seat in the title race. The disappoint- Pellegrini announced on February 1 that he E Frankfurt v Ingolstadt 04 17:30 turn the tables as they look to win the English ment of a 2-2 draw at home to West Bromwich would be leaving at the end of the season to beIN SPORTS title for the first time since 1961 and such is Albion on Tuesday was followed by the wel- make way for Pep Guardiola. A home game Stuttgart v Hoffenheim 17:30 the clamour to see the fixture that tickets are come bonus of seeing title rivals Tottenham, against bottom club Villa today ought to pro- vide the opportunity to begin collecting league beIN SPORTS changing hands for up to £800 ($1,135; 1,035 Arsenal and Manchester City all lose 24 hours euros) - nearly 10 times the most expensive later. The upshot was that the Foxes travel to points again and Pellegrini has made clear that Koln v Schalke 04 17:30 face-value price. Arsenal, who last lifted the Vicarage Road with only 10 games standing a repeat of Wednesday’s performance will not beIN SPORTS Premier League trophy in 2004, are the only between them and the completion of be accepted. “Of course, we cannot play in the Dortmund v Bayern Munich 20:30 side in the top three to have gone through arguably the most unlikely title triumph in way we did. the highs and lows of a title race in recent sea- English football history. Not only did we concede three goals but we beIN SPORTS 5 HD sons. “It is a going to be a really tough place to didn’t shoot once at the Liverpool goal,” But Pochettino, whose side saw their six- go,” Leicester winger Marc Albrighton said of Pellegrini said. “I think it was because we were FRENCH LEAGUE match winning run ended in a 1-0 loss at West facing Watford. “They have got some great not fresh. I am not thinking about the title and PSG v Montpellier 19:00 Ham United on Wednesday, dismissed the players, some firepower up top, but we will be not thinking about trying to qualify for the theory that experience could be decisive as he confident as ever. “The season we have had is next stage of the Champions League. “The beIN SPORTS 6 HD pointed to Arsenal’s successive defeats against fantastic. We are not going to let a point at most important thing is to recover our level of Angers v Saint Etienne 22:00 Manchester United and Swansea City this home dampen our confidence.” Manuel performance in the Premier League because beIN SPORTS week. “It’s difficult to know. If they have play- Pellegrini has warned his City stars there can we have lost the last three. “I am surprised by Girondins v Ajaccio 22:00 ers that have the advantage to win the title, be no repeat of their woeful defeat at this. We didn’t expect to lose 3-0 at Liverpool.” what happened against Manchester United or Liverpool if they are to revive their slender title The match against Villa will be City’s fifth in 14 beIN SPORTS Swansea?,” Pochettino said. “Different clubs hopes against Aston Villa. days, a sequence that has brought mixed Lille OSC v Stade de Reims 22:00 sometimes sign a player or a manager with a City’s 3-0 loss was their third league defeat results. The highlights were undoubtedly a 3-1 beIN SPORTS big background or big trophies behind them. in a row and even though the League Cup away win over Dynamo Kiev that leaves Sometimes they have success and sometimes winners have a game in a hand, bridging a 10- OGC Nice v ES Troyes 22:00 Pellegrini’s side well placed to reach the not. “You never know. Football is not an ordi- point gap between themselves and Leicester Champions League quarter-finals for the first beIN SPORTS nary business. Anything can happen.” will be a monumental task “Of course, we can- time in their history, and the penalty shoot-out Bastia v Lorient 22:00 Arsenal appear more vulnerable than ever not play in the way we did. Not only did we victory over Liverpool at Wembley in the beIN SPORTS and the absence of injured duo Petr Cech and concede three goals but we didn’t shoot League Cup final.—AFP Laurent Koscielny will strengthen Tottenham’s once,” Pellegrini said. —AFP Kuwait shooters shine at Amir 5th Grand Prix SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 SATURDAY, SportsSports 44

MADRID: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (right) scores past Rayo Vallecano’s Antonio Amaya (left) - his side’s fourth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Vallecas stadium on Thursday, March 3, 2016. — AP Barcelona crush nine-man Rayo 5-1 Messi lifts Barca to record 35-match unbeaten run

BARCELONA: Barcelona set a Spanish record of 35 matches were helped by the fact that Rayo lost defender Diego take,” he was quoted as saying on the As website unbeaten in all competitions with a thumping 5-1 win at Llorente to a red card three minutes before halftime for a (www.as.com). nine-man Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Thursday after goal- foul on Rakitic before Manuel Iturra was also sent off in the Rakitic scored in the 22nd minute by tapping the ball machine Lionel Messi scored his 35th hat-trick. Ivan Rakitic 67th for bringing down Sergio Busquets in the area. home when it fell to him after Juan Carlos spilt a high opened the scoring, Messi caught up with Real Madrid’s Busquets was felled from behind going for the cross. Messi finished off a fine one-two with Neymar a Cristiano Ronaldo on 35 trebles in all competitions and Arda rebound after a Messi free kick came back off the bar but minute later for his first goal and Llorente was shown the Turan completed the rout, with Turkey’s captain scoring his Luis Suarez’s penalty was saved by Juan Carlos, red card three minutes before halftime for a foul on first goal for the club since joining from Atletico Madrid. Barcelona’s ninth miss from 18 penalties in all competi- Rakitic. Messi scored his second in the 53rd after a shot Barca’s victory, which saw them beat the undefeated tions this season. “It’s a strange situation (missing penal- by Suarez came back off the post and completed his hat- record Real Madrid had held since the 1988/89 season, ties),” the Catalan side’s midfield general Andres Iniesta trick in the 72nd after darting through the defense from restored an eight-point lead at the top over Atletico with 11 said. “We mustn’t let it bother us while everything is midfield. Rayo got a consolation in the 57th through matches to go. Atletico beat visiting Real Sociedad 3-0 on working as well as it is. “The reasons are many (to Manucho’s header after Bebe, at the far post, nodded a Tuesday, while third-placed Real Madrid are again 12 points explain) why the team continues in this positive dynamic cross from the right into the middle as the two ex- off the pace after a 3-1 win at Levante on Wednesday. Barca (but) the league isn’t over, there are lots of points still to Manchester United players combined. — Reuters